Claressa Shields vs Christina Hammer set for November 17

Claressa Shields and Christina Hammer will meet in a Showtime-televised main event on Saturday, November 17, as the two middleweight champions look to fully unify the division at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall.

Shields (6-0, 2 KO) won the WBA and IBF titles in June, when she moved down to 160 and beat Hanna Gabriels in Detroit, getting off the canvas in the first round to dominate the fight.

Hammer (23-0, 10 KO) has the WBC and WBO titles, which she retained on the Shields-Gabriels undercard to set up this bout, a major fight for women’s boxing.

“I’ve worked hard my whole life to overcome every obstacle, represent my country and win two Olympic gold medals, and win world championships in two weight divisions as a pro,” Shields said. “I want to be part of the biggest fight in women’s boxing history, I want to be undisputed world middleweight champion, I want women’s boxing to reach new heights, and the only thing standing between me and the achievement of all those goals is Christina Hammer. I will defeat Hammer on November 17, and I will do it in a way that will leave no doubt who is the best in the world.”

“I am beyond excited and motivated to fight Claressa,” Hammer said. “I am the best middleweight in the world and will make that point very clear when we get in the ring. It’s been my dream to fight in the biggest women’s fight of all time and raise women’s boxing to an all-time high. I will be crowned the undisputed middleweight queen on November 17.”