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For years, Claressa Shields has been dominating the world of women’s boxing. Having already established herself as the greatest female boxer in history, Shields looks to avoid a slip-up as she defends her undisputed middleweight championship against late-replacement opponent Maricela Cornejo on Saturday night.
Cornejo is stepping in for Hanna Gabriels, who failed a drug test that she blamed on medication she had to apply to her dog. Shields had already won a dominant decision over Gabriels in 2018 and the entire interest in the rematch hinged on the fact that Gabriels had knocked Shields down in the first round of their first meeting.
Cornejo may be a better fight for Shields in 2023. She enters the fight riding a three-fight winning streak while Gabriels has only fought once since July 2019.
Shields turned pro after winning gold at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. By her fourth pro fight, Shields was unified super middleweight champion.
Shields moved between weight classes, adding…
