"I am the greatest woman of all-time," says Shields, who says she can't go beneath 154lbs to face Katie Taylor
Sunday 18 November 2018 09:02, UK
Claressa Shields added the WBC world middleweight title to her growing collection with a sublime shut-out points success over Scotland's Hannah Rankin.
The American sensation was a class above her game challenger, claiming the green and gold belt to go with the WBA and IBF with all three judges giving her the 100-90 unanimous decision.
Shields is already a double Olympic gold medallist and a two-weight world champion in the paid ranks and sits alongside Katie Taylor as the world's outstanding female fighters.
Taylor holds two of the recognised titles at lightweight but Shields believes she is the world's best and ruled out the chance of meeting her.
"I can only go down to 154lbs, I'd look like a stick if I went to 147," she said.
"I am above average. I am the greatest woman of all-time, whether they like it or not. There's not a girl who can beat me. If you can find a girl that can beat me, then you can say I'm not - but you can't."
The Flint star was due to meet fellow world champion Christina Hammer - who now only holds the WBO title at 160lbs - for an undisputed showdown only for illness to rule the German out.
Rankin, from Glasgow, has worked with Hammer and had no hesitation taking her place but was unable to upset the odds in the Kansas Star Arena, Wichita.
Shields, now under the guidance of respected trainer David John Jackson in Florida, displayed her skillset in style, her razor-sharp jab and rapid combinations, setting the tone from the start.
A quadruple jab followed with a heavy right hook troubled Rankin in the second round and the same closing shot stunned her in the fourth.
To her credit the Scottish challenger took more of the same and tried her best to make an impact, but as soon as she was in range, Shields accuracy and timing was at its best.
Round seven saw the American's right crash home again and she put her punches together trying to get her first stoppage win in three.
Rankin actually had her best round in the ninth but still came out second best, yet emerged with credit as she survived Shields' closing barrage in the 10th.
