Post-fight Interview With The GWOAT Claressa Shields

By G. Leon

17/01/2020

Post-fight Interview With The GWOAT Claressa Shields

Greg Leon: Congrats on your dominant showing against Ivana Habazin on Showtime the other night. Can you give us some thoughts on your performnace? Claressa Shields: "Thank you. I was happy with my performance against Habazin. I was sharp, precise with my punches and I dropped her with a body shot." GL: Your jab was working overtime and it seems to be getting better with each fight. Is this something that you've been consciously working on? CS: I’ve always had a good jab. Coach John [David Jackson] makes me use it over time in sparring but in the fights sometime I don’t use it because I can just beat the girls up. But my jab Is one of my best assets.
 
GL: Has the history of winning titles in three weight divisions in just ten pro fights sank in yet?
 
CS: Becoming a three-division work champ sunk in for just a moment! I allowed myself to take everything in for the first time and it made me emotional-- honestly. So I’m going to put all my belts up and not look at them til the next fight.
 
GL: Was making the weight difficult at all? How long can you campaign at 154?
 
CS: Making 154 wasn’t difficult. I had to be very disciplined about my diet and drink a lot of water.
 
GL: Will [world welterweight champion Cecilia] Braekhus be next? If not Cecilia then who would you like to fight?
 
CS: Braekhus does not want to fight. I’d love to fight her but I’m not going to 147, I’ve already come down from 168 to 154. She should be the champ she claims she is and come meet me at 154. I hear [WBC super middleweight champion Alejandra] Jimenez called me out, I’m not opposed to fighting her. Or even Marie Dicaire or Layla McCarter
 
GL: Is a Hannah Gabriels rematch a possibility?
 
CS: Yes Shields-Gabriels 2 is a possibility. I’d fight her again for her 154 title. Just because people think she gave me my hardest fight doesn’t mean that I agree. If I beat a person once, I have their number and feel I can do it again even more convincingly, but I wish her a speedy recovery and hope to see her back in action soon.
 
GL:  You posted a very emotional moment on IG. Your belts are laid on the table in the dressing and you start crying tears of joy. Can you put into words what was going through your head at that moment?
 
CS: Honestly I looked at all my belts and reflected on my performance and just thinking of the history and I was just over the top with joy. I’m just a kid from Flint. The odds were stacked against me and I still came out on top. God is good, I’m humbled. I was talking to God all thru camp and fight week and when they were announcing [the veridct], I was talking to him and I was telling him. “God I trust you, if this victory is meant for me, be with me as I give you your Glory.”
 
GL: What are your goals for 2020? How do you keep GWOATING?
 
CS: Well one of my goals for 2020 is fight four times this year, start my MMA training, continue to build my brand, stay close to God and just be prepared for any opportunity. I keep GWOATING by keep growing. New levels, new devils.
 
GL:  After all you've accomplished, what part of your game do you still feel needs the most improvement?
 
CS: I think my mind needs the most improvement. I just need to settle down a little more. Last fight was a good example of that. But I want to use my IQ so well that no woman survives by just covering up and holding. I broke Habazin mentally in round five, dropped her with a mean left hook to the body in round six and then after that I just beat her up. But I should have kept digging and looked for more open shots to get her out of there. I just have fun beating people up and I need to get out of that.
 
GL: Closing thoughts for the fans.
 
CS: I just wanna say thank you to all my fans. 2019 wasn’t by best year but your messages and prayers are felt. Stay with me and we continue to break records 2020.

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