Claressa Shields is fighting to move on. Fighting to forget, too.
Shields gets that chance Friday against Ivana Habazin in a junior middleweight bout that was rescheduled after a brawl as ugly as any in 2019 at a weigh-in on Oct. 4, the day before they were supposed to fight in Flint, Michigan, Shields’ hometown.
Four months later, they have moved on to a new day and a new zip code, Atlantic City, New Jersey. They fight on Showtime.
“Everyone who was in Flint and knows about the incident that happened knows it’s not something I have a history of doing,’’ Shields (9-0, 2 KOs) said Tuesday at news conference in New York. “I don’t do stuff outside the ring.’’
But the memory of that brawl lingers. Hard feelings remain. Habazin’s manager and trainer, 68-year-old James Ali Bashir, was seriously injured by a reported sucker punch. He underwent surgery for facial fractures. Shields’ brother, Artis Mack, was charged with assault.
“I’ve been thinking about this since October and I have more of an incentive now given what happened,” Habazin (20-3, 7 KOs) said. “I feel like I’m fighting for James Ali Bashir, as well as for my own pride and respect. I’m also fighting for my country. I want to make Croatia proud that I am their daughter, and I feel that I now have their full support.’’
There’s also incentive for Shields, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who has never been shy about what she thinks of herself or her opposition. She called herself the GWOAT – the greatest woman of all time – on Tuesday. She also expressed her contempt for Habazin.
“One of the things she said that was really disrespectful was that I didn’t make weight for October 4,’’ Shields said. “Don’t believe the lies. I made 154 pounds and I’m going to be a three-division world champion come Friday. Ivana doesn’t stand a chance.
“I’m sorry, I’m just going to keep it real. She’s not as skilled as Christina Hammer. She worked her way up, but once a quitter, always a quitter.
“Once the fight is over, she’s going to be a blast from the past. They won’t be talking about the incident in Flint. They may remember it, but her? They won’t even remember her name after I beat her down on Friday.”