Claressa Shields has done something that not even some of boxing’s all-time great champions have. Not Muhammad Ali, not Joe Frazier, not “Sugar” Ray Leonard, not Oscar de la Hoya. Shields captured two Olympic gold medals, the only American in history to accomplish the feat.
Szabados (15-8, 6 KOs) was the first to step onto the scale and she came in a few pounds under the 160-pound limit. Szabados came in officially at 158 pounds, ready for the biggest fight of her career.
“I’m ready to fight. I’ve been waiting a long time for this fight,” Szabados said at the final pre-fight press conference. “I think everyone has a destiny in life and I’m glad I chose to be a boxer. This is a huge opportunity for me and I plan to take advantage of it. I know she has the amateur experience, but I have more experience as a pro. We’ll see what’s more important on Friday.”
Shields (1-0) isn’t fazed by her lack of professional pugilism experience going into the bout. The Flint native, who weighed in at 159.4 pounds, is looking forward to taking on an opponent with much more experience in the pro ranks.
“Her having 124 professional rounds doesn’t mean anything to me,” Shields said at the presser. “Her being 15-8 with 6 KOs doesn’t scare me either. She’s a challenge and, on paper, she’s not supposed to be someone that I can just walk through. This is the first time that a woman has been the main event on Showtime and I’m not coming to make women look bad when I get in there.”
The card, dubbed “Detroit City Gold,” will be televised live from the MGM Grand Detroit on Showtime beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
ShoBox: The New Generation Weigh-in Results:
Claressa Shields (159.4) vs. Silvia Szabados (158)Antonio Nieves (116.4) vs. Nikolay Potapov (117.6)
Wesley Tucker (147) vs. Ed Williams (146.2)
James Gordon Smith (116.8) vs. Joshua Greer Jr. (116.8)