WBA downgrades Hanna Gabriels to ‘Regular’ champion
3kingsboxing has learned WBA Junior Middleweight champion Hanna “La Amazona Black” Gabriels (20-2-1, 11ko) issued a statement revealing she has been downgraded to ‘regular’ champion status.
Unified champion Claressa “T-rex” Shields will be taking on IBF champion Marie Eve Dicaire for the undisputed junior middleweight crown. This led many inside the boxing community to wonder if the Costa Rican fighter was stripped. Moreover, team Gabriels was very quiet about the situation. However, this announcement explains how the WBA “Super” title will be included in the Shields v Dicaire fight.
The newly crowned ‘regular’ champion is no stranger to the self-proclaimed Greatest Woman of All-Time (G.W.O.A.T). The two shared the ring in June 2018, when Gabriels took a chance moving up to challenge Shields for the middleweight crown.
Despite losing the fight via unanimous decision, she remains the only fighter to have dropped Shields as a professional. Also, during an interview with 3kingsboxing, La Amazona made it clear she was still the WBA Junior Middleweight champion and that Shields needs to see her.
Equally important, Gabriels was previously on track for a unification fight with Dicaire. That was, provided both champions were victorious on the November 2019 card. However, Gabriels would suffer an injury and team Dicaire shifted gears, seeking a bigger payday facing the unified champion instead. The WBA’s decision, in the opinion of this author, is a complete screw job. They figured out a way around having Gabriels part of the mix in an effort to capitalize on the fame of the unified champion.
SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE
Gabriels issued a statement praising the WBA’s decision and commended them for seeing the bigger picture. She also believes that allowing the fight for undisputed is an inspiration to all the young girls.
“Today I’ve been degraded to the Regular Champion status, to the surprise of many. Proud to be and still be the WBA Super Welter Champion. The fact that the WBA actually sees the bigger picture of this event in particular only speaks about how it wants to honor what this could and will mean worldwide for many, many people, but especially for little and young girls around the world.”
By: Garrisson Bland
