Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse vs Claressa Shields Preview
Claressa Shields is chasing history this weekend when she faces Canada’s Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse. The pair are fighting for the WBC and WBO Heavyweight titles in Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan.
It’s been over a year since Shields last stepped into a boxing ring, following a stint with MMA promotion PFL. The two-time Olympic gold medalist returns to the sport for a clash with Canada’s Lepage-Joanisse, who will be defending her belt for the first time.
Shields enters the fight as an overwhelming favourite, but a victory isn’t a foregone conclusion. Her move up in weight may give Lepage-Joanisse a chance to shock the world. The fight takes place at 9:00 pm EST.
Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse vs Claressa Shields Key Stats and Head-to-Head
Shields is one of the most successful and recognizable female boxers on the planet. The self-professed ‘GWOAT’ is a three-weight champion, including undisputed titles at middleweight and light-middleweight. Despite this, she remains a polarizing figure amongst fans because of her brash personality.
The American’s achievements are outstanding. Shields’ most recent boxing match was a victory over Maricela Cornejo in Motor City. The Flint native enjoyed a unanimous decision win as she defended her unified middleweight champion status. She extended her undefeated record to 14-0 in the process.
One judge scored the fight 100-89 in favour of Shields, underlining her dominance. The champion opened a cut over Corneja’s eye in the fifth round and almost produced a finish in the seventh. Corneja was on the ropes before being saved by the bell to survive until the end of the match.
Shields said that fans saw the best of her in this bout, but there are still some areas of concern. Corneja found some success with her jab in the early rounds and a more powerful fighter would have spelt danger for T-Rex. This is something that Shields’ trainer John David Jackson will worry about.
The American also lacks power of her own. She only has 2 KO wins, with none in her last 10 fights. The two-minute rounds in women’s boxing reduce the chance of a knockout victory. However, she is likely to lose even more power with his move up.
Shields has been cross-training in MMA. She has fought three times under the PFL banner with a 2-1 record. The transition to MMA is extremely complex, with Shields focusing on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, and kicking. Her last match was a split-decision victory in February this year. Her return to the boxing ring after an extended time away could be tricky to navigate for her and her trainers.
Despite these concerns, she remains a big favourite over Lepage-Joanisse. The Quebec native has a 7-1 record with one loss by knockout. She won the vacant WBC crown after a split-decision victory over Abril Argentina Vidal in Montreal. Lepage-Joanisse upset the odds in victory after opening as a big underdog.
Both fighters put on a spectacle in a highly entertaining bout. Vidal bloodied Lepage-Joanisse’s nose at the end of round three. That became a target for Vidal. The doctor inspected her nose in the sixth but allowed the fight to continue.
Lepage-Joanisse had a speed advantage over her opponent and landed more shots. Vidal undid her good work with power shots that rattled the Canadian. Ultimately, a bloodied Lepage-Joanisse won a split decision and hoisted the belt above her head.
Lepage-Joanisse only returned to boxing in 2023 after a six-year hiatus. She retired after Alejandra Jimenez knocked her out in a WBC heavyweight title fight before returning last year. The Canadian is now riding a four-fight win streak. As inspirational as her story is, she lacks the experience of Shields. Lepage-Joanisse has not stepped into the ring with someone of T-Rex’s calibre in years.
Lepage-Joanisse is a natural heavyweight so she should have more power than her rival. Like Shields, she has two knockout wins on her record, but with half of the fights. That is something she must use to her advantage.
The trainers will have a big impact on this match. Shields has been working with Jackson since 2018. The former two-weight champion fought the likes of Bernard Hopkins and Jorge Castro in a glittering career. He has also worked with champions like Shane Mosley and Sergey Kovalev in his training career. Lepage-Joanisse trains out of the less-acclaimed BG Boxing Club in Buckingham, Quebec.
Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse vs Claressa Shields Predictions
Fight Prediction: Claressa Shields to by judge’s decision
Our boxing prediction is that Shields will win this fight by decision. The former Olympian has a much better pedigree than her opponent. She had 65 amateur fights before she joined the professional ranks and won 14 more.
Meanwhile, she has defeated a better-quality opponent than Lepage-Joanisse. Her victory over Savannah Marshall is easily the best of her pro career. She put on a clinic to beat the UK fighter on enemy territory in London.
Shields also believes that she will carry more power into this heavyweight bout. She says that she won’t be depleting herself with a serious weight cut. We may see a less inhibited version of the three-weight champion. That’s ominous news for Lepage-Joanisse, whose defence wasn’t always effective in her last match.
Both fighters’ records suggest that a decision is the most likely result. We expect Shields to outclass Lepage-Joanisse. However, the champion is tough and won’t break easily, so she should last the full match.
Lepage-Joanisse needs to use her weight to her advantage to cause an upset. She must make this fight ugly and swamp her more famous opponent. Her knockout rate isn’t very impressive, but she may have more joy against the lighter Shields.
Check the in-play betting odds during this match. The markets may shift if Lepage-Joanisse lands early heavy shots. We’d still back Shields to figure her out and cruise to victory. It’s a compelling match-up, but one that Shields should win. The odds of Shields getting a knockout will shrink if her early rounds are very dominant.
Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse vs Claressa Shields Betting Tips
Shields is a massive favourite to defeat Lepage-Joanisse with our online sportsbook. There is little value in backing the Michigan native to win at -5000. A $10 stake would only net a $0.20 profit. Luckily, boxing bets offer many markets and exciting opportunities to wager.
When looking at wagers on the method of victory, a decision is most likely because of the shorter rounds in women’s boxing. Neither Lepage-Joanisse nor Shields have strong finishing rates. With T-Rex the overwhelming favourite, we like a bet on Claressa Shields to win via a decision.
Another option is to choose the round of victory. We don’t expect Shields to score a clean knockout. However, if she is too dominant, Lepage-Joanisse’s corner may throw in the towel. This is most likely around round six or seven. Online betting odds will price group round betting favourably.
The GWOAT returns to the ring this weekend‼️#SheildsJoanisse | LIVE on DAZN | July 27 pic.twitter.com/stvxWEMNUO
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 24, 2024
Consider the over-under odds for the number of rounds in this match. We do expect a decision, so it’s worth betting on this title fight to go the distance. Bet on over 8.5 rounds in the fight.
The Canadian champion is a +1000 underdog. This time, a $10 bet would make $100 if she pulled off one of the biggest shocks in boxing history. It might not be likely, but it could be an opportunity to use Novibet’s welcome bonus with no extra risk.
Betting on Shields to win outright isn’t logical. It would be better to select her as part of a parlay. There are several big boxing matches this weekend. Denis McCann fights Ionut Baluta in a high-profile rematch. Meanwhile, there’s a huge UK heavyweight bout between Joe Joyce and Dereck Chisora. A parlay bet on the favourites of all three fights is worth -163.
Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse vs Claressa Shields Outcome
Fighting as a heavy favourite carries a lot of pressure, but Shields wants to enhance her legacy. She plans to become a three-weight unified champion, an unprecedented feat in men’s or women’s boxing. This should be very achievable because the other belts are vacant.
There’s a distinct lack of depth and quality in the heavier women’s divisions. However, there isn’t an obvious next opponent for her. Shields also has the option of returning to MMA with PFL if there’s more money on the line. It remains to be seen if she will continue to switch between the two sports, having last fought for the PFL in February.
Lepage-Joanisse winning this match would be one of the biggest upsets in women’s boxing history. Nobody is expecting the Canadian to come out victorious, but that lack of pressure may suit her down to the ground. She would become an instant star if she succeeded in stunning the world. Stranger things have happened in the world of combat sports.
