Claressa Shields is daring to be great once again.
The "GWOAT" (Greatest Woman of All Time) challenges WBC heavyweight world champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan on Saturday night, live on DAZN.
A win and Shields would become a four-division world champ, having already been crowned undisputed in middleweight and junior middleweight, while also unifying titles at super middleweight.
With the stakes ultra high, DAZN takes a look at the keys to victory for both fighters in this heavyweight world title tilt.
Claressa Shields’ keys to victory
Assert jab on the outside early
In making the climb up to heavyweight, Shields would be aided by asserting her jab on the outside against Lepage-Joanisse early. Doing this with emphasis could immediately set a tone in this bout and thwart the champion’s power. In addition, it could go a long way in helping Shields outbox Lepage-Joanisse.
Spot and exploit openings in the champ’s guard
Watch Lepage-Joanisse fight and you’ll see a tendency for the five-foot-six fighter to hunch over in her stance while looking to unleash offense. In doing so, Lepage-Joanisse tends to lower her hands slightly to even glaringly.
Shields, being the savvy tactician she is, must spot these moments and exploit them by coming behind that jab to piece together slicing combinations.
The fact that Shields owns a couple of inches in height advantage means that she can do this from the outside, stepping into her combinations when she sees it fit to.
Be her sharp self, pick Lepage-Joanisse apart with speed
Shields will immediately know how her power translates to heavyweight when she hits Lepage-Joanisse. And once the “GWOAT” can put an accurate gauge on that, she simply needs to be her sharp boxing self.
Working from the outside to inside, Shields should look to exploit her speed and quicker hands to outbox the reigning champ and tactfully pick her apart to become WBC heavyweight world champion in grabbing a title in a fourth division by the night’s end.
Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse’s keys to victory
Touch Shields with the power jab early
Watch how Lepage-Joanisse earned the split-decision victory over Abril Argentina Vidal to win the WBC heavyweight world title in March and you’ll see the Canadian make early deposits to the body with the power jab.
It's a thumping shot. If she could commit to that body work against Shields it could make the “GWOAT” feel heavyweight power early and possibly even slow her down.
Punch in traffic inside, look to unload right hand
Even Shields pointed out herself, while speaking with DAZN, that Lepage-Joanisse has a “pretty good right hand that she tries to sneak in there when you’re throwing your combinations” and that “she’s like ‘boom,’ hits you with a straight right hand.”
With Shields making the move up to heavyweight, Lepage-Joanisse must be willing to throw hands in the pocket, especially looking for openings with that sneaky right hand.
Lean on Shields, muscle her around
Much like Tyson Fury did against Deontay Wilder across their trilogy, Lepage-Joanisse has got to make Shields feel her weight.
This means muscling her around and unloading compact powerful punches in the clinch and leaning on the “GWOAT” against the ropes and in the corners. These tactics can possibly resort to fatigue with Shields as the bout goes on.
Live on DAZN: Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov on August 3. Click here for details .