Claressa Shields Downs Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse Three Times In 2nd Round Stoppage, Wins Fourth Weight Division

Claressa Shields entered the ring at her heaviest fighting weight and left with the fastest win of her career.

The self-proclaimed GWOAT (Greatest Woman of All Time) won her fourth division with a second round, technical knockout of Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse. Three strikes forced a stoppage at 1:09 of the second round Saturday at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

With the win, Shields claimed the WBC heavyweight (albeit light heavyweight) and WBO 175-pound titles in the DAZN main event. He is now a four-division champion after a rookie career in which he won back-to-back Olympic gold medals.

“I'm shocked, I'm not going to lie,” Shields told DAZN's Al Bernstein.

The Shields (15-0, 3 knockouts) haven't enjoyed a knockout finish in seven years, almost until now. His last came in his first title win, on Aug. 2017 5^th Nikki Adler's stoppage in Detroit. Shields won the WBC and IBF super middleweight titles that night to begin his pound-for-pound run.

Championship wins followed at middleweight, junior middleweight and back to middleweight. Shields has fully covered the split (twice at 160) but has already run out of challenges at those weights. The proof of that was in his 14-month layoff.

With that came the decision to climb up the scale.

Lepage-Joanisse (7-2, 2 KOs) attempts to defend the title she won earlier this year for the first time. The 29-year-old Quebec native defeated Abril Argentina Vidal (10-2, 4 KOs) by split decision on March 7 in Montreal. It was his fourth straight win following a stoppage loss to Alejandra Jimenez in their August 2017 WBC heavyweight title fight.

Shields proceeded cautiously in the opening round. Mainly a boxer (and a gifted one at that), the aim was to feel the naturally heavy Lepage-Joanisse and test his strength at a new weight.

The return was a pleasant surprise.

“I went in there a little slow in the first round,” admitted Shields, who was the heaviest of his career at 174.8 pounds. “I'm not lonely. Vanessa is a heavyweight and a boxer.

“When the hook hit him, I felt depressed. I knew I was strong in the camp and I had a lot of energy [on Saturday]. Maybe I can stay at heavyweight.”

Lepage-Joanisse appeared to be reeling late in the first round. Shields kept throwing punches until the bell rang. Despite the defensive line still standing on his feet, there was confidence that a suspension was on the way.

Shields are delivered in a big way.

A clean right hand knocked Lepage-Joanisse down early in the second round. Referee Ben Rodriguez called the count when Lepage-Joanisse's corner appeared ready to stop the fight. The shields were called to continue and sent him down twice before the fight was stopped.

“I think the ref wanted me to throw another right hand to put him down,” Shields said. “GWOAT remains.”

The question now is whether Shields will stay at this weight.

This fight is considered a heavyweight title fight, only because the WBC does anything over 168 pounds. Shields believes he can still fight up to 154 to get a proper opportunity, or return to 160 where he remains the undisputed champion.

The feeling of not slowing down also considers the future in his newly conquered division.

“I'm the cash cow, the girls who get the belts at 168 should come up and fight me,” Shields emphasized. “It's only 175. It won't be that much of a jump.”

Shields is now 12-0 (2 KOs) in title fights spanning the weight division and The Ring's pound-for-pound reigning queen.

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