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The fight between Claressa Shields and Ivana Habazin has been officially rescheduled for Jan. 10 on Showtime, live from Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City.
The two will meet for the vacant WBC and WBO 154-pound titles, as Shields (9-0, 2 KO) looks to become the fastest fighter to titles in three divisions ever. Habazin (20-3, 7 KO) will be a big underdog.
The two were set to meet in August, but Shields pulled out with an injury. The two were then set to meet in October, and got through the weigh-in, but the fight was canceled due to an attack on Habazin’s trainer James Ali Bashir at the weigh-in event.
“My goal is to become three-division champ faster than any man or woman in history,” Shields said. “This is a very significant fight for both of us. We have both trained really hard twice and great opportunities await the winner, so hopefully three times is the charm.”
“I’ve been thinking about this since October and I have more of an incentive now given what happened,” Habazin 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. Claressa is just a brief stop on my journey. I have bigger dreams and bigger shoes to fill in my life. I’m on my way to fulfilling my personal legend — being crowned the undisputed women’s junior middleweight champion. This is just another step on that journey. Given my faith, I feel that while what happened in October was incredibly unfortunate, this was God’s plan. And I have faith that my hand will be raised in victory in January.”
The show will also feature a 140-pound WBA eliminator between Shohjahon Ergashev (17-0, 15 KO) and Keith Hunter (11-0, 7 KO).
“My goal is to be the junior welterweight champion of the world in 2020,” Ergashev said. “After I win this fight I will be just one step away from realizing my dream of bringing the world title home to my country Uzbekistan.”
“I’m looking forward to making my national television debut on Showtime,” said Hunter. “Boxing is in my blood and January 10 will be my chance to take my career to the next level. Ergashev has a bounty on his head, I’m here to collect!”