The Boxing Truth®: Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse

Showing posts with label Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse. Show all posts

Monday, July 29, 2024

Chisora And Shields Triumph In Heavyweight Bouts

While July 27th signaled the beginning of competition of Boxing at the 2024 Summer Olympics being held in Paris, France, two intriguing bouts took place in two other countries on the professional side of the sport in the Heavyweight division featuring both Men and Women. First at the O2 Arena in London, England, it was a crossroads encounter between two longtime Heavyweight contenders Joe Joyce and Derek Chisora.

This was a fight where both fighters entered at a stage in their careers where some felt each was on the verge of a win or retire scenario. Hence, this observer’s label of it being a “Crossroads Encounter." Thought the label was appropriate, one might argue, despite the appearance that both fighters were at a similar stage, it was Chisora that was closer to retirement due to both the fact that he has had a seventeen year career, but also his talking about wanting to retire after his fiftieth professional fight. Chisora’s forty-ninth fight would arguably be one of his best.

From the opening bell Joyce tried to impose his 6’6 frame and 281lb. body on the 6’1 Chisora. While Chisora entered the fight weighing 256lbs., the difference in size was clear as was the pressure Joyce applied on Chisora. Despite appearing to have more success when he used his reach to keep Chisora at distance, Joyce chose to fight in close, which not only negated the effectiveness of his punches by smothering them, it also played into Chisora’s strategy, which is almost always to get in close and fight on the inside as more often than not, he is competing against taller and heavier opponents.

What was also evident early on was Joyce was throwing slow, but hard thudding punches, and Chisora was either looking for counter punches, or trying to land in two or three punch combinations. The pace in which this fight was fought was one that at times was slow, but also seemed to be higher compared to most fights fought in the Heavyweight division. As yours truly watched this fight, I had a sense that it may come down to which fighter runs out of steam first as both fighters landed hard shots throughout and both had moments where they looked utterly fatigued and struggling to stay on their feet. Despite this, I felt that Chisora was outworking Joyce in what was a hard fought battle. With the fight entering the final three rounds, however, I questioned whether Chisora would get to the finish line.

Just as it appeared the effects of fatigue and Joyce's pressure were breaking him down, Chisora landed a right hand out of nowhere that knocked Joyce flat on his back on the canvas. To his credit, Joyce was able to get to his feet and continued the fight. It was at this point given that he had scored the knockdown and seemed to be outworking Joyce that I felt the knockdown likely secured the win on the scorecards.

With both fighters looking utterly exhausted, the tenth and final round was as the previous nine had been, a battle of wills. It would be Derek Chisora, who would get the nod from the three official judges in scoring one of the biggest wins of his career. In doing so, he also likely opens himself to more opportunities that will take him beyond fifty fights in his career.

As one fighter seemed to revitalize his career at age forty, another fighter looked to further cement her legacy. Yours truly is referring to undefeated three-division world champion Clareasa Shields, who after becoming an undisputed world champion as a Jr. Middleweight and Middleweight, the latter of which she still holds, made another jump up in weight to challenge Women's WBC Heavyweight world champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse.

The flight, which was held in Detroit, MI at the Little Caesars Arena, was essentially a hometown fight for Shields, who is from Flint, MI. In addition to the WBC Heavyweight world championship, the vacant Women's WBO Light-Heavyweight world championship was also at stake, giving Shields the opportunity to become a five-time world champion in five divisions in a single fight.

Although when a fighter is making a move up in weight as Shields was, the standard question of how that fighter will respond to being hit by fighters who are used to competing at heavier weights, was asked prior to this encounter, the reality is Shields did not give the champion an opportunity to test her ability to take a punch. This was due to Shields being able to showcase her hand speed early. In the second round, the challenger would drop the champion with a three punch combination that sent Lepage-Joanisse down to the canvas. Shields followed up with two more knockdowns forcing the fight to be stopped giving the future Hall of Famer and two-time Olympic Gold medalist another accolade tonadd to her legacy.

There is simply not much to say here other than Shields saw her opening, took full advantage, and closed the show. While this victory was only the third knockout in Shields’ professional career, she did show that she has punching power even though knockouts in Women's Boxing remain rare due largely to the fact that rounds are only two minutes in duration, and only recently has the transition to three minute rounds been used on a selective basis, but has been used and is currently being used in women's bouts in the ongoing Olympics. It is something this observer has long advocated for to see three minute rounds become the standard in Women's Professional Boxing, the same as Men's bouts.

Nevertheless, Shields did not need three minute rounds in this fight and got the job done. The obvious question remains, however, for Shields. After being so dominant for her entire career and now having successfully moved up to Heavyweight to further her legacy, is there an opponent out there in Boxing that can compete with Shields, and furthermore, how much more can she accomplish? This observer cannot give an answer…

“And That's The Boxing Truth."

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Tuesday, July 23, 2024

Shields Attempts To Make Further History

On July 27th, the focus of the world will center on the beginning of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. It will be on day 1 of the Olympic Boxing competition that the focus will largely be dominated by Women's bouts as a field of over 120 women in various weight divisions attempt to win Olympic Gold. The strides of Women's Boxing in the Olympics and the sport overall for Women that has taken place over the last decade is something that has been long overdue and cannot be denied.

It was at the 2012 Olympics in London, England where one fighter became the focal point that in large part has helped to lead the way for such growth. This observer is referring to Claressa Shields, who not only became the first Women's Olympic Gold Medalist in United States Boxing history, but four years later would duplicate that accomplishment at the 2016 games in Brazil, not only duplicating what she had done four years earlier, but making history as the only boxer in United States Olympic history to win back to back Gold medals in Olympic competition. If Shields had decided after back to back Olympic triumphs to retire, she likely would have already cemented her place in any Boxing Hall of Fame due to the magnitude of what she had accomplished.

As most know, however, Shields’ Olympic journey was a chapter of her story rather than the end of it. Since turning professional late in 2016, Shields has been dominant becoming a world champion in three different weight classes from Jr. Middleweight, Middleweight, and Super-Middleweight, becoming an undisputed champion in the Middleweight and Super-Middleweight divisions. While her standing in Women's Boxing has remained untouched, Shields has also established herself in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) winning two of three professional bouts with the lone defeat coming via decision in October 2021 to Abigail Montes. The only loss Shields has suffered in twelve years across combat sports, with the last loss she suffered in a Boxing ring coming as an amateur in the 2012 AIBA Women's World Championships in a decision loss to Savannah Marshall. A loss that Shields would avenge in unifying the Middleweight division as a professional in October 2022.

With a a record of 14-0, with 2 Knockouts, Shields, still an undisputed world champion in the Middleweight division, now attempts to further her legacy by moving up in weight to challenge WBC Heavyweight world champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse on July 27th in Detroit, MI in a bout that can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN. The fight, which will take place at the Little Caesars Arena, will essentially be one fought on Shields’ home turf being from Flint, MI. It will also be a bout that has further historical significance as the vacant WBO Light-Heavyweight world championship will also be on the line making it one of the rare fights in Boxing history, make or female where world titles in multiple divisions will be at stake in a single fight.

Although it is something that was criticized when Sugar Ray Leonard knocked out WBC Light-Heavyweight world champion Donny Lalonde im November 1988 to win not only the Light-Heavyweight crown Lalonde held, but also the at that point newly created WBC Super-Middleweight world championship as the Super-Middleweight division was in its beginning stages at that time, it is nevertheless rare when such a concept is implemented.

Like Leonard thirty-six years ago, this is an opportunity for Shields to become a five-division world champion by winning world titles in two divisions in one fight. The similarity does not end there as much like Leonard faced against Lalonde, Shields will be facing an opponent in Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse that is used to fighting at heavier weights than Shields has fought at before.

This is likely where the comparison ends because Shields is two inches taller than Lepage-Joanisse at 5’8 and Shields, now the challenger, has a significant edge in terms of overall experience compared to the champion, who will enter the fight with a record of 7-1, with 2 Knockouts Lepage-Joanisse won the WBC World Heavyweight championship in her last fight in March in scoring a ten round split decision over Abril Vidal in her native Canada.

Normally when discussing a fight where one fighter is making a significant jump in weight, the onus would be on the fighter moving up in weight to show they can compete effectively against fighters that are theoretically bigger and stronger on paper. While the issue of weight is still there and Shields will have to show that it will not be an issue for her, Lepage-Joanisse needs to show that she can compete against someone of Shields caliber due to the significant disadvantage she has in terms of experience. In her fight against Abril Vidal, Lepage-Joanisse was able to get the win by being more active and being first with her punches, which gave her the edge in a very close fight. Whether she will be able to do that against Shields, a fighter who is very compact with her offense and tend to throw her punches in variations of combinations may indeed prove to be easier said than done if the adjustment to fighting at a higher weight turns out to be a non-issue for the challenger.

Regardless of what the outcome of this fight will be when all is said and done, Lepage-Joanisse-Shields represents another in an increasing long line of steps forward for Women's Boxing as well as the more broad issue of equality. It is something that should be celebrated.

“And That's The Boxing Truth."

Lepage-Joanisse-Shields takes place on Saturday, July 27th at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI. The fight can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 9PM ET/6PM PT.

(*U.S. Start Times Only.*)

(*Card and Start Times Subject To Change.*

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.