Claressa Shields is scheduled to return to her home state of Michigan to defend her undisputed heavyweight championship on July 26.
The highly anticipated bout will see New Zealand`s Lani Daniels challenge Shields for all the major belts at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
Shields made history earlier this year by becoming the first undisputed heavyweight champion in women`s boxing, unifying the WBA, WBO, IBF, and WBC titles with a victory over Danielle Perkins.
Known as a two-time Olympic gold medalist and an undefeated professional champion across the super-welterweight, middleweight, and super-middleweight divisions, Shields previously knocked down Perkins en route to securing a unanimous decision win.
Her opponent, the 36-year-old Daniels, currently holds the IBF light-heavyweight world title and has previously held the IBF heavyweight championship. She brings a strong record into the fight, being unbeaten in her last nine contests with an overall professional standing of 11 wins, 2 losses, and 2 draws (1 knockout).
The Little Caesars Arena, primarily known as the home for the Detroit Red Wings and Pistons since opening in 2017, first hosted professional boxing less than two years ago. Claressa Shields headlined that inaugural boxing event, defeating Maricela Cornejo.
Shields, who hails from Flint, Michigan, made a successful return to the area last summer, drawing approximately 12,000 fans for her knockout victory over WBC heavyweight champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse. She is expected to once again be a significant draw for the July event.
Reflecting on Shields` impact, her promoter Dmitriy Salita stated, “Women`s boxing has experienced tremendous growth and progress since Claressa Shields headlined the first-ever nationally televised women`s main event.”
Murray Blackwood