Joanisse vs Shields Predictions: ‘The GWOAT’ feels the weight of history

Claressa Shields goes for glory in a fourth and fifth weight division this Saturday, July 27 as she takes on WBC heavyweight champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse. The vacant WBO light heavyweight belt will also be on the line. DAZN will broadcast the card live from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 

Here are my Joanisse vs Shields predictions ahead of this heavyweight showdown.

Shields is an athlete who is always seeking out new plains of achievement. A gold medalist at two separate Olympics. An MMA fighter. An unbeaten three-weight boxing world champion. ‘The GWOAT’ has even called out male fighters in the past and, given her track record of doing exactly what she says, you know Shields means it too.

Now Shields shoots for more history. The Flint native is looking to leap from a three-weight champion to a five-weight ruler in just one night. While this fight is set at the light heavyweight limit, both the vacant WBO 175lb and WBC heavyweight titles will be on the line. Should Shields win on Saturday, she will join Amanda Serrano and Naoko Fujioka as the only female boxers who hold titles at five weights.

Shields is not the first legendary Olympian to attempt to conquer two weight classes in one evening. The great ‘Sugar’ Ray Leonard became the inaugural WBC super middleweight champion, capturing the newly-minted title with a TKO win over Donny Lalonde. The fight was also for Lalonde’s WBC light heavyweight belt, with Leonard anointed the second boxer ever to become a five-weight champion.

Shield’s shot will take place at the light heavyweight limit in order to allow both titles to be up for grabs. Therefore, while capturing the heavyweight title is historic, ‘The GWOAT’ is only actually going to be fighting a maximum of seven pounds above her highest weight. Shields’ first world titles came in the 168-pound super middleweight division while the limit for this bout is 175 pounds.

It is still a big step-up for a fighter who has campaigned no higher than middleweight since 2018. Even Shield’s MMA weight is lightweight, which is five pounds below the boxing middleweight mark of 160 pounds. Joanisse, meanwhile, has not scaled below 173 pounds as a pro. The champion has weighed as much as 231 pounds in the past, though she tends to hover around the 180 mark now.

The Canadian is a warrior. Joanisse’s fights are characterised by a high-output, come-forward style. Shields will have questions asked and she will need to answer. ‘The GWOAT’ has been in with power-punchers before, most notably Savannah Marshall, but she will never have had to deal with a barrage like this before.

While Shields is likely to lose the strength battle, she does have the advantage when it comes to elite experience. Joanisse became champion in her last bout, taking the vacant title with a split verdict over Abril Vidal. Her only other world title outing was a knockout loss to Alejandra Jimenez in three rounds back in 2017. After that fight, Joanisse took six years out from the sport before returning with four consecutive victories.

Shields has a lot more championship notches on her belt. Of her 14 pro fights, 11 have been for a world title. You have to go back to 2017 to find the last time the cross-codes star boxed without a major belt on the line.

That experience could tell on the night, as Shields takes to the ring in her home state to add another two world titles to her heaving trophy cabinet.

Joanisse vs Shields Fight Odds

Shields is a 1/50  favourite here, a testament to her comfort in high-pressure title fights. The reigning champion Joanisse is a 14/1 underdog while a draw is priced at 20/1.

Joanisse vs Shields Fight Card

Claressa Shields vs. Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse; For Joanisse’s WBC women’s world heavyweight title and vacant WBO light heavyweight title

Michel Rivera vs. La Vonte Early; Super lightweight 

Shohjahon Ergashev vs. Julian Smith; Super lightweight 

Cameran Pankey vs. Shaileik Paisley; Featherweight 

Gordie Russ II vs. Josiah Shackleford; Light middleweight 

Husam Al Mashhadi vs. Bruno Leonardo Romay; Light middleweight 

Ernesto Mercado vs. Hector Edgardo Sarmiento; Super lightweight 

Jaquan McElroy vs. Travis Floyd; Welterweight 

Samantha Worthington vs. Edina Kiss; Super lightweight 

Danielle Perkins vs. Christianne Fahey; Women’s heavyweight

Joanisse vs Shields Prediction

I feel safe going for the Shields decision here. ‘The GWOAT’ only has two knockouts in 14 fights and those came at lower weights than this. Shields might have to take a few shots to get it done, but I think she can ride out any storm. I’m going for Shields on points at 4/11.

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