It's the Same Old Song: Claressa Shields Makes Maricela Cornejo Dance to Her Tune in Motown to Retain Undisputed Title

 

As she proved once again in Detroit last night, when it comes to skill levels in the women’s 160-pound division, there’s Claressa Shields and then there’s everyone else. The Flint native is simply leagues above the rest and can make very good boxers look very average by comparison, just as she did against her latest challenger, Maricela Cornejo. 

Credit should be given to Cornejo for taking the fight on less than two weeks’ notice, and it must be pointed out that she was no idle contender coming off the couch but had been training for another upcoming bout and, therefore, ready to rise to the occasion.

Claressa nevertheless made retaining her undisputed middleweight title by scores of 100-90 (x2) and 100-89 look easy. It’s just unfortunate that a reported crowd of 11,784–a little more than half of Little Caesars Arena’s seating capacity–was on hand to witness the event.

Putting forth an extraordinary effort gives the illusion that Shields is having an ordinary day at the office, no cheap tricks required. Natural ability, a dedicated work ethic, and an unshakable belief in herself are the components that make Shields the complete fighter she is. The carnival barker-type ballyhoo she throws in free of charge. 

She couldn’t care less whether you like it or not. Or, for that matter, whether you like her or not. You might watch her fights to cheer her on to victory. You might tune in hoping to see her get her ass kicked. Either way, she’s got your attention locked in. That’s entertainment. 

Taking a cue from Motown legends The Four Tops, who serenaded the reigning and defending undisputed middleweight champion at the press conference and performed the National Anthem on fight night, Claressa dropped the needle on her own greatest hits record last night. Pumping her left jab at Cornejo in ones, twos, and threes, Shields not only established the rhythm they would dance to all night long but created openings for right hands that split her challenger’s guard or combinations in lightning-fast flurries. 

With Maricela fighting off the backfoot for almost the entire evening, Shields exhibited an expertise in cutting off the ring and keeping Cornejo within striking distance. A sharp lead left halfway through round two forced Cornejo to look up at the overhead lights, as did a straight right down the pike about fifteen seconds later.     

Maricela had limited success when taking the initiative to venture forward and force the action, paying a steep price for landing the occasional right hand by eating a succession of counterpunches on the way in. Shields played to the hometown crowd late in the fourth round, backing against the ropes and dropping her hands to clown Cornejo. Wise enough not to take the bait, Maricela backed up to center ring but was caught with another hard straight right regardless. 

Claressa was clearly in her groove and enjoying the moment for everything it was worth. It goes without saying that, to her, it was a lot. If any critique could be made in Shields’ performance, it would be her tendency to get over anxious in anticipation of a hopeful stoppage and load up on wildly looping overhand rights, the unwieldy momentum of which cause her to miss the mark more often than not. Taking the care to put a higher investment into body punches would present opportunities to land more meaningful, potentially evening-ending, shots upstairs.

John David Jackson gave Claressa this exact advice in her corner and she did slightly up the ante on her body attack in the later rounds, battering Cornejo from pillar to post in the closing moments of round eight and coming as close as she would get to putting her challenger on the deck.

Despite somewhat wobbly legs, Cornejo finished the fight on her feet and was grateful for the chance to share the ring with the female boxer she considers to be the greatest of all time. This is an opinion naturally shared by Claressa herself, who commended Maricela for being “smart and tough.” After all, they are both fighting for a common cause that goes beyond title belts.

It’s kind of like what The Four Tops sing in their 1988 hit, Indestructible: “There’s a power deep inside us. Ain’t no one that could ever divide us. We won’t fall, we’ll show ‘em all just what we’re made of.”