Claressa Shields takes on Maricela Cornejo on June 3, Hannah Gabriels is out

Claressa Shields has a brand new opponent for her June 3 conflict.

Shields will now protect her undisputed middleweight championship towards obligatory challenger Maricela Cornejo, it was once introduced Thursday. The ten-round bout will happen at Little Caesars Area in Detroit and can circulate live to tell the tale DAZN.

The 28-year-old Shields was once at first scheduled to stand Hanna Gabriels, however the transfer in combatants took place when Gabriels examined sure for a banned substance from a Would possibly 2 VADA take a look at throughout the WBC Blank Boxer Program. No data was once printed what the banned substance Gabriels examined was once.

“Claressa’s objective has all the time been to combat the most productive, and we left no stone unturned in ensuring we ship the easiest to be had contender within the undisputed multi-organization No. 1 world-rated middleweight Maricela Cornejo,” mentioned Dmitriy Salita, president of Salitas Promotions, which promotes Shields. Enthusiasts looking at the combat live to tell the tale DAZN and the ones provide for the comeback of big-time boxing in Detroit at Little Caesars Area will witness the easiest stage {of professional} boxing between two hungry warring parties combating for the undisputed middleweight international crown.”

Shields (13-0, 2 knockouts), who is living in within sight Flint, turned into the inaugural Ring mag middleweight champion in 2019 and extra unified each and every primary belt her closing bout on October 15, defeating then-WBO champ Savannah Marshall through unanimous resolution.

Having received international identify belts in 3 other weight categories (154, 160, and 168 kilos), and having had a stellar beginner occupation, together with successful two Olympic gold medals, Shields occupies the No. 1 place within the Ring Mag pound-for-pound girls’s scores.

Shields expects a robust problem and isn’t overlooking Cornejo.

“I advised my group to get me the most productive,” mentioned Shields. “Cornejo is a tall, difficult Mexican, filled with delight who’s in nice form and desires to overcome me. She’s ranked No. 1. That’s precisely what I need for my Detroit homecoming and for my fanatics around the globe. I’m having a look ahead to an ideal efficiency on June 3.”

Cornejo (16-5, 6 KOs), who’s at first from Prosser, Washington and now is living in Los Angeles, stopped overmatched Sheila Cunha within the opening around of her closing bout on March 25. She has received her closing 3 bouts since dropping Alma Ibarra in March 2011.

The 36-year-old first challenged for a global identify belt towards WBC tremendous middleweight titleholder Franchon Crews Dezurn in September 2018, dropping through unanimous resolution. Cornejo would lose the rematch towards Crews Dezurn a 12 months later.

Cornejo is keen to turn out she belongs among the most productive and embraces being an underdog to Shields.

“When Shields confronted a Mexican within the cage, she misplaced,” mentioned Cornejo relating to Shields’ combined martial arts loss to Abigail Montes in October 2021. “Now she’s going to lose to a Mexican within the boxing ring. I simply completed a great camp and in the most productive, most powerful bodily and psychological state of my existence. My group in Vegas has sharpened me like a knife for this second. On June 3, I can transform undisputed champion.”

Cornejo is educated through Ismael Salas.

Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has coated boxing in Southern California and in another country since 2000. Francisco additionally covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Superstar newspaper. He may also be reached at [email protected]

Practice @FSalazarBoxing