Boxing
Claressa Shields discusses dealing with heavyweight Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse's power
Watch Shields vs. Lepage-Joanisse live on DAZN
In making the leap up from middleweight to heavyweight, Claressa Shields doesn't want to go the distance with WBC heavyweight world champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse on Saturday night, live on DAZN.
If she has it her way, Shields will deliver a surgical, yet pounding performance enough to end Joanisse's evening early.
"We definitely have a gameplan where it’s like I don’t want to go 10 rounds with a girl that big and strong," Shields began explaining during an exclusive interview with DAZN News. "So we’re working on breaking her down pretty good and hopefully we’ll stop her."
Shields, the current undisputed middleweight world champion, believes getting immediately acclimated with Joanisse's heavyweight power will be key this weekend at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Also, Shields has trained for Joanisse's penchant and willingness to punch in traffic, especially with that stiff right hand.
"I think she got a pretty good right hand that she tries to sneak in there when you’re throwing your combinations," Shields offered. "She’s like ‘boom,’ hits you with a straight right hand."
That, and Joanisse can eat punches, while fighting forward.
"She’s heavier, she’s bigger and she could take a lot," Shields tacked on. "I watched her fight. She takes a lot of punishment, but she keeps coming, so we prepared for that in camp."
In jumping up to heavyweight, Shields did enjoy a fight camp in which she was not overly concerned with her weight as opposed to camps of the past.
"It was beautiful," Shields said while flashing a toothy grin.
Live on DAZN: Claressa Shields vs. Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse. Click here for details.
