Claressa Shields dominated Christina Hammer over all 10-rounds and won a unanimous decision to unify the IBF/WBA/WBC/WBO Middleweight titles in the what was billed as the most significant woman’s boxing match in history.
The bout took place at the Adrian Phillips Theater at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
After the 1st round, which was much of a feel out round, Shields dominated the action and had Hammer in trouble several times throughout the 2nd half of the fight. Shields hurt Hammer in rounds eight and nine, and it seemed like she could get the stoppage, but Hammer was able to survive and last the distance.
Shields, 159 1/2 lbs of Flint, MU won on all cards by 98-92 tallies, and is now 9-0. Hammer, 159 lbs of Dortmund, GER is 24-1-0-1.
“I am the greatest woman of all time,” said Shields, who nearly earned a stoppage during a barrage in the closing moments of the eighth round. “I did it. She didn’t win a single round. I almost knocked her out. I swear I feel like I’m dreaming right now. Thanks to Christina Hammer and her team. They said she had a hard jab and they weren’t lying. Her jab is off the chain.
“I was just calculating in the first round and after that I started picking her apart,” she continued. “I knew I could hurt her. I thought I finished her in round eight. I thought the fight should have been stopped. She was holding onto me. I just told myself, stay cool, stay cool. I was trying to get the perfect punch to get her out of there.
“Women’s boxing, we’re on fire. I cannot wait to see the next super fight. Give me Cecilia Brækhus at 154 pounds. That’s who I want next. Either her or Savannah Marshall.”
“I didn’t fight very good or fast,” said a subdued Hammer. “That’s boxing, anything can happen. I wanted this fight. She won, respect to her. She’s a tough, strong woman and that’s all I can say.
“She’s fast, she comes forward. She has fast hands. I couldn’t land my jab as good as I expected. I’ll come back and I’ll be back stronger.
Jermaine Franklin won a 10-round unanimous decision over Rydell Booker in a heavyweight fight.
There were some good exchanges on the inside, but it was Franklin who got the better of the action as he outlanded Booker 146-94.
Franklin of Saginaw, MI won by scores of 99-91 and 98-92 twice and is now 18-0. Booker of Detroit is 25-2.
“I think I had a decent performance,” said the Saginaw, Mich. native. “There’s some stuff I could work on. I over-crowded myself a little bit and I was a little over-anxious. He had a lot more experience than me and used it to his advantage. He could see what I was doing.
“I learned to stay more patient because I had him hurt a few times, but once I got over-anxious, my whole game plan went out the window. I started messing up and making crazy mistakes I shouldn’t have. Now it’s back to the drawing board to work on my mistakes and come out bigger and badder next time.”
“I felt he out-hustled me, but it was a lot closer than how the judges scored it,” said Booker. “He was missing me a lot more than it looked. I slipped a lot of shots and hit him clean.
“I knew he would bring the pressure, but he needs a lot of work. He stays too centered with his head. He’s alright. What he has on his side is youth. I’d rate my performance about a seven. I had a training camp injury I was dealing with. I’m going to stay active and come back stronger than ever.”
Heavyweight’s Otto Wallin and Nick Kisner fought to a no-contest after one round due to an accidental headbutt.
Kisner was cut over his right eye and Wallin was cut on his forehead from an accidental headbutt in the 1st round. After the round was over, Kisner could not continue due to his cut.
Wallin, 227 1/4 lbs of Sudsvall, SWE is 20-0 (1 NC). Kisner, 221 lbs of Baltimore is 21-4-1-1
“To me, his cut didn’t look that bad,” said a disappointed Wallin, who was making his U.S. debut. “It’s a shame because I trained really hard for this fight and was looking to put on a show for fans in America. I just didn’t have time to get going.
“I’d like to get back in there soon and show what I can do. I’m going to take this as a learning experience.”
“I caught a headbutt and the referee came to me,” said Kisner. “He saw me swiping at my eye and said ‘can you see?’ I said, ‘soon as I get the blood out of my eye, sure.’
“I feel horrible after training so hard. I felt good in the first round. The judges probably gave him the first round, but I always take off the first round. I was feeling like I could get to him eventually. You saw me land my overhand right.”
Brenda Karen Carbajal won the IBF Featherweight title with a unanimous decision over previously undefeated Elena Gradinar.
Carbajal won by scores of 97-93 twice and 96-94 and is now 16-4-1. Gradinar is 9-1.
Jarico O’Quinn won an eight-round unanimous decision over Vicente Alfaro in a super flyweight bout.
O’Quinn won by scores of 80-72 on all cards, and is now 12-0-1. Alfaro is 9-5.
Mario Heredia scored a eight-round split decision over former heavyweight titlist Samuel Peter
In round three, Peter decked Heredia with a booming right to the chin. Heredia was able to survive and gut out the slugfest by scores of 77-74 and 76-75, while Peter won a card 79-72.
Heredia is now 16-6-1. Peter falls to 37-7.
Marcus Bates stopped Jose Angel Hernandez after round three of a scheduled eight-round super bantamweight bout.
It was a good action fight that had Hernandez pressing, and Bates looking to counter. Hernandez for some reason could not continue after round three.
Bates is now 9-1-1 with eight knockouts. Hernandez is 12-3.
Isiah Seldon got off the deck to win a six-round unanimous decision over Bryan Goldsby in a middleweight bout.
In round one, Goldsny dropped Seldon with a combination in the corner that was started by a right to the chin. Seldon was able to come back and win every round and in round four almost had Goldsby out as he landed a flurry of hard shots only to have Goldsby saved by a low blow.
Seldon won each card 58-55 and is now 13-2-1. Goldsby is 5-10.
