The Motor City and Even Muhammad Ali’s Wife Are Team GWOAT After Claressa Shields Rocks Detroit

The Motor City was electric last night as two of Michigan’s finest in the boxing world, Claressa Shields and Tony Harrison, returned to the ring. Leading into the fight, both fighters delivered similar messages—though from different ends of the spectrum. For Shields, it was about reminding the world and solidifying her status as “The GWOAT.” Tony Harrison, returning to the ring after a two-year layoff, set out to remind everyone why he’s “SuperBad.”

Both fighters made entrances befitting their superstar status—Tony was led to the ring by Icewear Vezzo, and Claressa by “The Boss” Rick Ross. With over 15,000 fans in attendance at Little Caesars Arena, it was truly a sight to behold.

As for their opponents—both underdogs with something to prove—the fights played out very differently. Edward Diaz (15-6) came out with the intent to shock the world. He gave Tony a real reminder of what it feels like to be in a fight. Early on, Tony showed some expected ring rust after his long layoff, but once he found his groove, his jab became the key to victory. His boxing began to resemble the Tony of old. However, in the 9th round, Diaz dropped Tony, changing the complexion of the fight. In my estimation, it was a good test for Tony—it shook off the ring rust, and I expect an even sharper version of SuperBad next time out.

Claressa squared off with “The Smiling Assassin,” Lani Daniels, the IBF Light Heavyweight Champion in her own right. Due to the lack of star power in her opposition, Claressa faced a much older veteran in Daniels. From the outset, Shields showed she was far superior in skill. Lani, for much of the fight, seemed more focused on making it to the final bell than on risking it all for the win. That said, she picked up the pace in the final three rounds, and had she done that earlier, it might have made for a more entertaining bout. You could tell Daniels had some power, but as a former fighter myself, I understand that some nights just aren’t your night—and that’s okay. Still, it felt like Lani was simply happy to be there, rather than fighting to win. Claressa once again demonstrated that there are levels to this game—and why she’s at the very top.

Now to the elephant in the room: Laila Ali. The former world champion and daughter of Muhammad Ali previously stated she’d fight Shields—but it would take $15–20 million to make it happen. According to reports from TMZ and Salita Promotions, that fight may indeed be on the table. What made things even more intriguing was that Muhammad Ali’s wife was in attendance at the post-fight press conference and said, “She told Laila to stay in the kitchen. I’m with you, GWOAT.” Claressa also noted after the fight that this might be her last bout with Salita Promotions. The career of Claressa Shields continues to captivate, and only time will tell who will step up to face the GWOAT next—especially as she mentioned she may be planning to have a child soon.

All in all, it was great to see championship boxing back in Detroit, and the ladies truly showed out!

I also want to give a shoutout to a past guest of the show, Sammy “The Heat” Worthington, who became the WBA Super Lightweight Champion by defeating Victorie Piteau via decision. This was her toughest test yet—and she turned up the Heat!

Also, Canada’s Caroline Veyre became the WBC Silver Featherweight Champion with a dominant performance over Licia Boudersa, winning by a dominant 10-round decision. Once she found her range, Caroline displayed stopping power, freezing Licia in her tracks and leaving her visibly marked by the end. Looking forward to seeing what’s next for Caroline!

Check out our full coverage of Fight Week—from the open workouts to the pre- and post-fight press conferences and more—on YouTube and at KO3C.com.

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