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Claressa Shields vs. Christina Hammer, one of the best possible fights in women’s boxing, is apparently off just a week after its initial announcement.
Very, very, very disappointed. I’ll let my team do the announcement! But what I will say is... I want this fight 100%. I am not the one sick. Idk the ins and outs of Hammers condition, but she can’t box til March the doctor says. I’m still going to fight the 17th of Nov
— ClaressaT-rexShields (@Claressashields) October 1, 2018
The bout would have unified all four women’s middleweight titles; Shields holds the IBF and WBA belts, Hammer the WBC and WBO.
Shields (6-0, 2 KO) is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, two-time world amateur champion, and owned two titles at 168 before debuting at middleweight in June. Hammer (23-0, 10 KO) has held at least one title since 2010, though she did have a bit of help from the referee in her 2014 defense against Anne Sophie Mathis, and was last seen dominating the division’s #3 in Tori Nelson.
This is a fight that still needs to happen, so hopefully they can staple everything back together early next year. In the meantime, the powers that be have a month to find a competent opponent for “T-Rex.”