Shields Shines in Homecoming

The GWOAT did GWOAT things in her return home just 60 or so miles from where she grew up. Claressa Shields put on a show for her adoring hometown fans at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit against challenger Maricela Cornejo. She came out on fire using her jab and movement to set up ferocious fire shots. More aggressive than usual, Shields was loading up power shots and appeared to be gunning for a stoppage. Shields rallied and had her opponent in trouble in the seventh. However, Cornejo survived the storm. Shields seemed to put it in cruise control and dominated the final three rounds with her jab and movement. The decision was as wide as possible, with the GWOAT taking every round, on every card and getting an extra point on one of them. 100-89 and 100-90x2 were the final verdicts. Shields defended all her middleweight belts and moved her record to 14-0 (2).

In the co-main event, Ardreal Holmes jr came out strong and put some early rounds in the bank. However, Long Island, New York native Wendy Toussaint came on strong and became the aggressor. He began landing the harder and cleaner shots and appeared to most to have taken a lead on the cards, when a horrific cut opened up on the forehead of Toussaint, due to a collision of heads. The bout was called off moments later despite the ringside physician giving the referee the green light to continue. The hometown Holmes got a gift-split decision with scores of 77-74 and 76-75 in his favor and 77-74 in Toussaint's favor on the third card.

In the undercard portion of the show, Joseph Hicks Jr of Grand Rapids established himself as a prospect to watch in the middleweight division by absolutely annihilating rugged veteran Antonio Todd over six one-sided rounds. Todd has a win over Hugo Centeno Jr and a very close call with Connor Coyle. A quality opponent, a quality win, and an A+ showing for Hicks Jr in just his seventh pro fight and moved to 7-0 (5).