She asked, Who was the best Fight? Claressa Shields’ Undercard in Detroit: Who was the best Fight
In the build-up to Claressa Shields’ WBC heavyweight title fight with Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse, several undercard bouts took place on DAZN.
Often times you hear about a preliminary match having the potential to steal the show or come close.
Sitting in the hotel earlier in the evening, two coaches politely disputed which undercard bout would do just that.
A local trainer and Christianne Fahey’s trainer both acknowledged great fights in the making between Fahey and Perkins as well as Russ and Shackleford. Two six round affairs.
The top half of the card was capitalized with the co-main event between Massachusetts junior welterweight Michel Rivera (26-1, 14 KOs) and Argentine Hugo Alberto Roldan (22-3-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-rounder.
Rivera won via split decision in a fight with nearly every round playing out similarly.
With “Ali” across the front of his trunks, Rivera boxed well and was the more polished of the two.
The southpaw Roldan was relentless in his efforts to hang tough over the duration.
Two judges rightfully scored the fight 98-91 and 99-90 for Rivera, while the third shockingly saw it 95-94 in favor of Roldan.
Few would argue that Rivera lost more than two rounds. Roldan would touch the canvas late in the fight but made it to the final bell despite chants of “Ali” coming from the Detroit crowd.
Junior welterweight Julian Smith (9-2, 5 KOs) of Chicago, edged out favorite Shohjahon Ergashev (24-2, 21 KOs) of Detroit by way of Uzbekistan by a 10-round split split decision.
This fight was certainly the more competitive of the two split decisions finishes.
Smith, legally deaf, pressured the slick southpaw over the duration of the fight. Ergashev, rated #13 by the WBC, picked his shots and maneuvered swiftly around the ring.
This was a true contrast of styles that can make judging more difficult at times.
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Smith dropped Ergashev slightly after the bell sounded in the second. Referee Benjamin Rodriguez clarified that the bell had already sounded.
Smith scored another knockdown in the fifth, while continuing to pressure and smother the fading Ergashev.
Scores of 95-94 x 2 for Smith and 95-94 were read as few argued Smith getting his hand raised. It was a well earned victory in a competitive fight.
Pontiac, MI super featherweight Cameron Pankey (10-1, 4 KOs) shut out North Carolina’s Shaileik Paisley (4-5, 3 KOs) in a six rounder.
Pankey had to work for this one as Paisley hung in tough.
In a junior middleweight battle for Detroit, Josiah Shackleford (4-2, 2 KOs) defeated Gordie Russ II (6-2, 6 KOs) by unanimous decision over 6 rounds of thrilling action.
Shackleford started strong in the first and finished strong in the 5th and 6th, with some back and forth rounds in between. Every round was competitive and as exciting as projected. Respect to both for putting it on the line in this thriller.
Scores of 59-55 across the board did not indicate the competitiveness of the match.
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Dearborn Heights, MI junior middleweight Husam Al Mashhadi (10-1, 9 KOs) finished off Bruno Leonardo Romay (22-14, 19 KOs) in a battle of southpaws.
The explosive southpaw wasted no time stepping on the gas early and often, looking to impress the growing attendance.
Mashhadi scored multiple knockdowns with no answer in return aside from the rightful referee stoppage.
Pomona, CA junior welterweight Ernesto Mercado (16-0, 15 KOs) battered Argentine Hector Edgardo Sarmiento (21-3, 14 KOs) over three rounds of action of a scheduled ten rounder.
Mercado, a highly decorated amateur, had the height and youth on his side as he continued to climb the rankings.
Flint, Michigan native Jaquan McElroy (1-0) made his professional debut, defeating Travis Floyd (1-10-2) of Atlanta, Georgia over four rounds.
A veteran of 120-plus amateur fights and three national championships, the 154-lb McElroy recently inked a deal with Shields’ T-Rex Promotions.
Scores were 40-36 and 39-37 x 2
Samantha Worthington (9-0, 7 KOs) of Lexington, Kentucky dominated Hungarian vet Edina Kiss (16-21, 9 KOs) forcing a corner stoppage after the second round.
Another recent signee of Shields’ T-Rex Promotions, Worthington came out firing early on, leaving no room for Kiss to gather herself.
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To start off the night, two female combatants looking to impress early arrivals and ringside observers did just that over six rounds of exciting action.
Houston-based, Brooklyn native Danielle Perkins (5-0, 2 KOs) slugged her way to a well earned unanimous decision victory over the durable and spirited Christianne Fahey (4-2, 3 KOs) of Scotland.
Rated #1 by the WBC at 175 lbs, Perkins was the mandatory to face Lepage-Joanisse prior to the announcement of Shields making the jump to heavyweight.
Fahey was off to a good start in the opening round shooting lead right hands to the head and torso of her southpaw opponent, seemingly edging out the round.
The next couple of rounds Perkins stepped on the gas and landed a series of heavy blows drawing blood from the nose and mouth of Fahey. She complimented that with good body work when the 6 ft tall UK native was against the ropes.
Fahey, now showing swelling under both eyes, caught a second wind in the fourth round and made a good fight of it over the last three rounds.
In the end, she was simply outgunned by a bigger and stronger fighter and will likely see much better days at a lighter weight moving forward.
Judges scores were 60-54 and 59-55 x 2.
DAZN’s broadcast team could have seen another round going in the direction of Fahey as a 58-56 verdict.
The two nearly locked horns at Friday’s weigh-ins, leaving no doubt that we would be in for a good fight.
Both combatants reciprocated with a smile and mutual respect as the final bell sounded, knowing they gave each other their best effort.
Perkins, a former St John’s basketball player and decorated amateur boxer, called for the Shields fight shortly after.
The two coaches debating on which fight would steal the undercard turned out to be the best two undercard fights.
Dmitry Salita Promotions’ Matchmakers Steve Clemente and Lina Kurylyuk filled the card well.
People certainly underrate undercards a lot of times. If you bought a ticket, it’s worth showing up when the lights turn on.
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