Claressa Shields easily defeats Rankin over ten rounds
This fight turned out to be everything perceived when looking at the match-up on paper. The lesser skilled Rankin would have to be a different fighter than she showed in her last fight if she wanted to become the new unified champion.
She made a decent account of herself, staying on the outside behind her jab. The game-plan was to catch the champion in-between shots as the “at times” overly aggressive Shields would look to maul her.
Unfortunately for Rankin, she did not have the power to derail the train that is Shields. Therefore, fans saw an extremely over-matched opponent being chased down by someone she only had a minute chance of beating.
Moving into the championship rounds, Shields seemed to be trying to achieve something Rankin avoided in her previous loses. Alicia Napoleon and Joanna Ekedahl were unable to knockout the Scottish fighter.
The champion landed everything but the kitchen sink in the final rounds. However, one thing that can be said about Rankin is she is extremely tough!
Shields would go on to win every round in route to becoming the WBA, IBF and WBC middleweight champion. In the post fight interview, she had this to say:
“In 2016 I was in the Olympics, now it’s 2018 and I’ve had five, six belts. I am the greatest woman of all time. Until you can find a woman who can beat me, I am because no one can beat me!”
By: EJ Williams
Check out the recap for Brandon Rios vs Ramon Alvarez also on the under-card of #MillerDinu!
