Boxer Shields Promises KO In Detroit Return, Explains Overturned Pot Suspension

DETOIT – Claressa Shields is returning to Detroit with a promise of fireworks. Shields, A Flint native and the top pound-for-pound fighter in women’s boxing, is returning to fight at Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit on July 26 against New Zealand fighter Lani Daniels. Shields will be putting her undisputed women’s heavyweight title on the line, which she won in February with a unanimous decision over Danielle Perkins in Flint.

“This will be one of my biggest fights yet,” Shields told the Free Press on May 9. “So you want to be there and I’m going to prepare to give you guys a spectacular knockout.”

Shields addresses overturned suspension

After her win over Daniels, Shields faced a suspension shortly after from the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission for a positive marijuana test.

She had a meeting with the commission in early March, where she presented another test with evidence she tested negative right after the fight, and the suspension order was dissolved on March 14.

“I guess it was three nanograms of marijuana in my system,” Shields said. “And hey, I’ve never smoked weed, I’ve never ate weed or anything. I definitely kept my innocence, defended my innocence.

“I had to go through a shorter term suspension by the Michigan commission until they did their research, got the facts, talked to me and go to trial and all this stuff. It was very stressful.”

Read the rest of this story at the Detroit Free Press.