Claressa Shields vs. Lani Daniels Preview, Date, Time and How to Watch

Forbes

7 days ago

Claressa Shields-Lani Daniels
Claressa Shields will put her undisputed heavyweight title on the line on Saturday, July 26 at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Shields' opponent will be Lani Daniels, a relative unknown, but who is she, and does she have a chance to win?
First, here's the viewing information:
Claressa Shields vs. Lani Daniels Fight Card
Daniels technically has an opportunity to shock the world, but let's be real—this is a massive uphill climb. The 36-year-old from New Zealand has a solid story. She's held IBF world titles at both light heavyweight and heavyweight, and she's earned respect in her home country.
They call her the 'Smiling Assassin,' and she's been a pro for eight years. Before that, she was a mental health nurse and a national amateur champ. Her record is respectable at 11-2-2.
But here's the thing—only one of those wins came by knockout. That's the red flag. To beat someone like Shields, you've either got to outbox her (which no one has been able to do) or carry real power that can make her think twice.
Daniels doesn't have either.
She's already made history as the first Māori-born New Zealander to win world titles in two weight classes. That's meaningful, but none of it will help her overcome this stiff challenge.
She picked up the IBF heavyweight title in May 2023, then dropped to win the light heavyweight version later that year. In women's boxing, especially at higher weights, it's not uncommon to see this back-and-forth movement.
Sometimes the ladies are switching classes just to find an opponent.
Daniels is riding a nine-fight unbeaten streak coming in, including a TKO over Razel Mohammed—her only stoppage win to date. Aside from the streaks and stats, the truth lies in the level of competition the fighters have faced.
Shields has faced and defeated all comers. She's 16-0; a two-time Olympic gold medalist and the only fighter in history—male or female—to become undisputed in three different weight classes.
She's cleaned out 154, 160, and 168. Now she's at heavyweight, not because it's her optimal class, but because there's no one left for her at the lower divisions—and cutting that kind of weight is only getting harder with time.
There's a serious gap in speed, power, and experience. Shields has faced elite competition. Daniels hasn't fought anyone even near that level.
The odds reflect the reality: Shields is a minus-2000 favorite. Daniels sits at plus-950. This isn't a 50-50 fight. It's not even 70-30.
This is a showcase, and Shields is likely to dominate every round. The best-case scenario is that Daniels survives the full ten rounds, which is likely the New Zealander's goal.
I'll have more fight week coverage and the post-fight info on Saturday. Stay tuned.