Only seven fighters have become the undisputed champion in their respective weight divisions in the four-belt era. One of those competitors looks to become the first to accomplish the feat in two separate weight classes.
WBC and WBO junior middleweight champion Claressa Shields will return to the ring to take on IBF titlist Marie-Eve Dicaire in a title unification bout on Saturday, May 9, at the Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center in Shields' hometown of Flint, Mich. The vacant WBA (Super) junior middleweight title is also on the line.
Last April, Shields (10-0, 2 KOs) defeated WBO middleweight champion Christina Hammer by unanimous decision to become only the second woman (after Cecilia Braekhus) to capture all four belts. In her next time out, the two-time Olympic gold medalist (2012, 2016) dropped down to 154 pounds and beat Ivana Habazin via unanimous decision to win the WBC and WBO junior middleweight titles and become the quickest person to claim three championships in three different weight classes. For the 24-year-old, it is her chance to make history once again; this time, she can attempt the quest in her hometown.
"I can't wait to make history again on May 9," Shields said in a press release. "Fighting in Flint in front of all my fans has been a dream of mine since turning pro. Having the opportunity to make history by fighting for the undisputed title in a second weight division is something I'm very proud of. Fighting against undefeated IBF 154-pound champion Marie-Eve Dicaire continues my quest to fight the very best in women's boxing. And headlining on Showtime again will continue my goal to lift women's boxing to new heights. I'm going to give Flint and fight fans all over the world a night to remember on May 9!"
Dicaire (17-0) began her combat sports career in karate at 6-years-old and ended up becoming a black belt and a five-time world champion. The 33-year-old turned her attention to the sweet science and reached the pinnacle when she defeated Chris Namus to win the IBF title. She has defended the belt three times, but it doesn't get any bigger than facing quite arguably the best women's boxer in the world in a high stakes showdown.
"I am very excited for this opportunity, and it is an honor to face an opponent like Claressa Shields," Dicaire said. "I am thankful to my promoter Yvon Michel and everyone involved in making this possible. For me, this is a dream come true. I will be prepared the best I can be, and I am ready to leave everything in the ring to win the fight!"