![\"\"](\"http:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/image005-300x200.jpg\")
<\/a>Photo credit Stephanie Trapp\/SHOWTIME<\/strong><\/p>\nClaressa Shields became a two-division world champion, and Christina Hammer retained her two world title belts as both scored unanimous decision victories on Friday night on SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION from the Masonic Temple in Detroit, Mich.<\/p>\n
And now they have their sights set on one another.<\/p>\n
The two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Shields of nearby Flint, Mich., was knocked down for the first time in her career 53 seconds into the first round, but she was able to come back and win every round after that to become a two-division world champion capturing the vacant IBF and WBA Middleweight World Championships against Hanna Gabriels. The judges\u2019 scored the fight 98-91, 97-92 twice.<\/p>\n
Hammer entered the ring after the Shields fight, and an emotional Shields pressed toward Hammer and some pushing and shoving ensued.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just tired of Hammer disrespecting me all the time,\u201d Shields (6-0, 2 KOs) said. \u201cShe comes into the ring after all my fights, talks trash, and then she goes in there and looks like [crap] against Nelson. I\u2019m sick of it. But I let her know I\u2019m more than ready for a fight against her. She wanted me to lose tonight, but I wanted her to win because I want to fight her. We have to unify now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shields and Gabriels started the fight swinging furiously, but it was Gabriels (18-2-1, 11 KOs) who connected on a right uppercut sending Shields to the canvas.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce I went down, I took a deep breath and I remember thinking to myself, \u2018I\u2019m about to whip this girl\u2019 \u201d Shields said. \u201cI just remember thinking let\u2019s use the jab and be smart.\u201d<\/p>\n
Costa Rica\u2019s Gabriels, a unified 154-pound titleholder, was coming up in weight and attempting to become a three-division world champion.<\/p>\n
\u201cI trained to go the distance but my heart betrayed me, because after that first knock down, I was looking for another one,\u201d said Gabriels, the reigning WBA and WBO champion who was fighting in her 12th straight world title fight since winning the welterweight title in 2009. \u201cI wanted to show everyone I had a warrior\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t feel I had an advantage after the knockdown. I felt I had to work round after round to even have a possibility to win.\u201d<\/p>\n
Added Gabriels: \u201cShe has a lot of power. It was a great fight and you have to accept the judges\u2019 decision. She\u2019s powerful and for the fans I think it went well.<\/p>\n
Shields suffered a cut on the left cheek in round 10, and also overcame a head butt. She recalled being hurt by Gabriels\u2019 punches to the head just three times in the fight. \u201cThe first round, fourth round and the eighth round, other than that she didn\u2019t hit me with no head shots.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shields \u2013 in her first fight with new trainer John David Jackson \u2013 said she learned something about herself after the fight. \u201cI can get put on my ass, get up and come back and win,\u201d she said. \u201cTonight was my night and I have to show the world I\u2019m the greatest of all-time. I showed who I am. Now, I\u2019m really dangerous because you can even put me down, and I\u2019ll still come back to win.\u201d<\/p>\n
The difference in the fight was Shields’ accuracy, especially in terms of her power shots as she connected on 42 percent compared to Gabriels\u2019 26 percent.<\/p>\n
Shields was asked after the fight when she would like to face Hammer. \u201cHopefully it\u2019s next,\u201d she said. \u201cI don\u2019t need no rest. I could have whipped her tonight. I\u2019m just so sick of her and her whole team.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a lopsided win in her highly anticipated U.S. debut, Hammer (23-0, 10 KOs) remained undefeated with a unanimous decision against Tori Nelson (17-2-3, 2 KOs). The scores were 100-90, 99-91 twice, to retain her WBC and WBO Middleweight World Title belts. (see Hammer-Nelson highlights HERE).<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would have been better to get a KO,\u201d said Hammer, who is 27 years old and from Dortmund, Germany. \u201cI tried everything I could to get the knockout. She was tough. I hope the USA is good with this and I\u2019m still the champ.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really looking forward to fighting Claressa. She will try and fight me on the inside but my footwork and my reach will make the difference. The fight with Claressa will be a game-changer. It will be the biggest women\u2019s fight ever. I would like to fight her at a neutral site.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very disappointed in my performance tonight,\u201d said an emotional Nelson after the fight. \u201cIt\u2019s a loss, of course it\u2019s disappointing. I wasn\u2019t busy enough, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n
In her last fight, Nelson lost a unanimous decision to Shields back in January. \u201cClaressa is better,\u201d Nelson said. \u201cShields has a jab and uses the ring. Claressa stands there and wants to fight. She has all the punches. Hammer only has one.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the telecast opener, Umar Salamov (21-1, 16 KOs) connected on a lethal right hand in knocking out Brian Howard (13-2, 10 KOs) 53 seconds into the ninth round of a scheduled 10-round light heavyweight bout.<\/p>\n
Salamov, from Alkhan-Kala, Russia, was making his United States debut and trains at the famed Kronk Gym in Detroit with Javan \u201cSugar\u201d Hill Steward. In a fight between two long and lanky fighters, Salamov landed 34 percent of his power punches compared to 27 percent for Howard and was ahead on all three judges\u2019 scorecard at the time of the knockout.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was hurt a little bit in the second round from one of his shots, but I didn\u2019t let it bother me because this is my U.S. debut,\u201d said Salamov, a six-year pro who is 24 years old. \u201cI just kept fighting. After I got hit with that punch, I started coming forward and as soon as I did that, the fight changed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Salamov said he knew once he connected on the first right that Howard was hurt. \u201cI knew as soon as I landed the punch that he would be very hurt,\u201d he said. \u201cI felt it up to my elbow. I didn\u2019t want to hit him after that because I knew he was finished.\u201d<\/p>\n
The former cruiserweight Howard had a couple of highlights and was able to effectively land his right hand on several occasions, including one powerful right cross in the seventh round that seemed to stun Salamov.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would say I did fair, I did OK,\u201d said Howard, a former minor league football player who lives outside of Atlanta and was making his SHOWTIME debut. \u201cI was fortunate to get the call by Salamov\u2019s team and by SHOWTIME. I\u2019ll be back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Friday\u2019s tripleheader will replay on Monday, June 25 at 10 p.m. ET\/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME and will be available on SHOWTIME ANYTIME\u00ae and SHOWTIME on DEMAND\u00ae.<\/p>\n
Barry Tompkins called the action from ringside with boxing historian Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer was Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.<\/p>\n