Claressa Shields won a unanimous decision against Lani Daniels to hold onto her IBF, WBC, WBF, and WBO heavyweight titles. The fight took place on July 26, 2025, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, with 15,366 fans watching. Shields controlled the bout with sharp punches and body shots. The event aired live on DAZN, starting at 8 p.m. ET.
Shields Commands Fight with Precision
Shields faced Daniels in a 10-round heavyweight title bout on the main card. In the first round, Daniels moved a lot but landed few punches. Shields stayed calm, chasing her opponent. In round two, Shields landed a four-punch body combination, per BoxingNews.com. By the sixth round, a strong right hand rocked Daniels, slowing her pace. Shields kept targeting the body, wearing Daniels down.
In the eighth round, Daniels fought back, trading punches, but Shields landed harder blows. The judges scored it 100-90, 99-91, and 99-91 for Shields. Her crisp jab and body work secured a clear win.
Claressa Shields walks out with rapper Rick Ross live on DAZN 😤🎶
pic.twitter.com/mhioU0PMQW— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) July 27, 2025
Claressa was In The Zone since round 1.
Presented by @autozone pic.twitter.com/f7tzP8od68
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 27, 2025
Claressa Shields in a Tom and Jerry fight 😭😭😂 🐈 🐁 pic.twitter.com/d08pWlr7iK
— Unbiasedbox2 (@Unbiasedbox2) July 27, 2025
Poetry in slow motion 🎥 #ShieldsDaniels | Live NOW on DAZN pic.twitter.com/4kNgdLdGPS
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 27, 2025
Claressa TURNING up the heat in round 5 🌡️#ShieldsDaniels | Live NOW on DAZN pic.twitter.com/TFnh75blbc
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 27, 2025
Claressa Shields letting it go on Lani Daniels tonight! #Shields pic.twitter.com/4qpEkNbH3T
— Crown Nation Sports (@cnation_sports) July 27, 2025
Claressa Shields beating the brakes off Lani Daniels 😲 #Shields pic.twitter.com/K9oQnWmR8N
— Crown Nation Sports (@cnation_sports) July 27, 2025
The “GWOAT” does it again 🍿
Claressa Shields made it look too easy in her undisputed heavyweight title defense vs Lani Daniels 👊 pic.twitter.com/CpdLf4Cr6r
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) July 27, 2025
Claressa Shields, a 30-year-old from Flint, Michigan, has a 17-0 record with 3 knockouts. A two-time Olympic gold medalist in 2012 and 2016, she turned pro in 2016. Shields won the WBC and IBF super middleweight titles in 2017 against Nikki Adler. In 2018, she took the WBA and IBF middleweight titles against Hanna Gabriels, adding the WBC and WBO middleweight belts by 2019. In 2024, Shields moved to heavyweight, stopping Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse in the second round to win the WBC and WBF titles. In February 2025, she beat Danielle Perkins to become the first boxer to hold undisputed titles in three weight classes (154, 160, heavyweight). Shields is ranked No. 1 pound-for-pound in women’s boxing by ESPN.
Lani Daniels, a 37-year-old from New Zealand, has an 11-3-2 record with 1 knockout. A two-time New Zealand amateur champion, she turned pro in 2017. Daniels lost twice to Geovana Peres for the WBO light heavyweight title in 2018 and 2019. She won the IBF heavyweight title in 2023 against Alrie Meleisea and the IBF light heavyweight title in 2024 against Bolatito Oluwole. As the first Māori boxer to win world titles in two divisions, Daniels aimed to reclaim heavyweight gold but fell short against Shields’ skill.
Shields’ victory strengthens her legacy as a boxing great, staying undefeated at 17-0. Daniels’ effort showed her toughness, but the loss ends her seven-fight unbeaten streak. The bout, headlining a card with Tony Harrison and Samantha Worthington, filled Detroit’s arena. Shields’ performance keeps her at the top of women’s boxing.
Shields could face Franchon Crews-Dezurn or pursue a high-profile fight with Laila Ali, though Ali hasn’t fought since 2007. Daniels might return to light heavyweight to regroup. Shields’ next steps will draw big attention.
