Habazin Takes Shots at Shields!
Apparently, super welterweight Ivana Habazin (20-3, 7 KO’s) is not buying Claressa “Clarenzo” Shields’ (9-0, 2 KO’s) injury claim. Recently, the undisputed middleweight champion withdrew from an August 17 showdown with Habazin citing a knee complication as the culprit.
The Flint Michigan native was moving down to super welterweight to face Habazin for the vacant WBO and WBC Diamond titles.
In the wake of Shields pulling out of the bout, she took to her Twitter account to jab the middleweight champion. In the video below, which had two other team members present and smiling, the Croatian boxer ate chocolate cake and called Shields a ‘fat-ass.’
Openly skeptical of the injury claim, she is overtly insinuating that Shields is actually having problem making weight. When she mentions the injury she repeatedly winks at the camera to highlight her disbelief.
Many folks are calling the video rather foolhardy. When the fight was initially announced very few gave Habazin any kind of realistic shot at beating Shields.
Who The Hell Is Ivna Habazin?
To her credit, the Croatian fighter is a two divisional champion. Habazin did capture the vacant IBF middleweight title, over Elene Sikmashvili, in March of 2018. After one successful title defense against Gifty Amanua Ankrah, she moved down to super welterweight.
Before enjoying her middleweight championship victory she won a vacant IBF welterweight strap over Sabrina Giuliani in March 2014.
Along with these favorable outcomes, Habazin has also tasted the bitterness of defeat. In her three title fights with Eva Bajic, Cecilia Braekhus and Mikaela Lauren, Habazin lost them all. Two by unanimous decision and one, at the hands of Lauren, by TKO. It was future Hall of Famer, Cecilia Braekhus took her IBF welterweight strap.
Prior to the Tweet there was not a great amount of faith in Habazin tarnishing Shields undefeated record. Now, the common consensus believes that Clarenzo will use the unnecessary needling as further motivation to train hard. Perhaps Habazin should have just left sleeping dogs sleep.
It’s well known that Shields is chasing a fight with Cecilia Braekhus, who competes at welterweight. This is why she is dropping down to super welterweight in the first place. The idea was to not only meet Braekhus at a neutral weight, but have a title to offer as well.
The excitement of that potential fight had effectively pushed Habazin to the background in the press. With the unprovoked insults, Clarenzo will likely put a whole new priority on putting the smack down on the Croatian.
The new date and venue for Shields v Habazin are expected to be announced shortly.
By: Bakari Simpson
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