ShoBox: Claressa Shields vs. Tori Nelson & Shohjahon Ergashev vs. Sonny Fredrickson RBR

Round 4

Shields is jabbing and crashing down with the right hand. Nelson is catching punches on her forearms, rowing them away, then countering with jabs and high searching rights. Big power flurries from Shields, continuing to mix in some nice meaty body shots. Nelson standing up to everything pretty well, hanging in there.

10-9 Shields

40-36 Shields

 

Round 5

Shields is landing combinations, and Nelson is shaking "no" every time she lands, smirking to belie how much they do indeed hurt. Nelson getting rattled by heavy butterfly-net right hands up top. Nelson is keeping her guard up but still getting banged around the ring by the stronger IBF champ.

10-9 Shields

50-45 Shields

 

Round 6

Shields is standing in front of Nelson, arms resting on her thighs, carefully taking aim with pot shot jabs in singles & doubles. Nelson is eating the jabs but has the cross scouted and is able to pinch it between her gloves every time Shields nocks & looses it (telegraphing a bit, admiring her work after landing the jab and betraying her intent a little overconfidently). Nelson primarily just on defense, but sneaking in a few jabs and wavy high downward-tapping lefts on the brow.

10-9 Shields

60-54 Shields

 

Problem is that power, tho - I keep having flashbacks to Hammer vs. Mathis, another gal she was "supposed" to have enough skill to comfortably outbox..

 

Round 7

Shields is getting pushed across the ring, unexpectedly. Nelson is digging hard to her body, and Shields is answering back with a look of mild surprise with headhunting light flurries, taking a little time off to recoup her strength or maybe a little punched out from 6 rounds of throwing all but the kitchen sink @ the WBC queen. Nelson is wobbled by a looping right near the end of the round. Shields thinks she can smell blood in the water and hurls a big sloppy right from behind her back, only to find that Nelson was only awkwardly off balance and not really hurt, and once she caught her footing able to easily dodge the punch with a lateral step.

10-9 Shields

70-63 Shields

 

If I believed in pity rounds, Tori would've gotten the seventh.