_1648158297.jpg)
The Salita Promotions show on July 27 headlined by Claressa Shields’ heavyweight debut against Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse is beginning to take shape.
The co-featured fight at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and on DAZN is set to feature Michel Rivera taking on Hugo Alberto Roldan in a 10-round junior welterweight bout.
Also set to be featured is 2023 BoxingScene prospect of the year Ernesto “Tito” Mercado, in a 10-round junior welterweight contest against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.
Former junior welterweight world title challenger Shohjahon Ergashev will look to bounce back from his first career loss, to Subriel Matias in November, when he takes on Julian Smith.
Also set to be featured on the card in separate bouts are Joshua Pagan, Samantha Worthington, Danielle Perkins and Cameran Pankey.
Shields will climb up two weight divisions to challenge Joanisse.
“I believe that on July 27, I will be heavyweight champion of the world,” Shields recently said. “As we can see, I’m not a true heavyweight and that’s [OK]. For the sport of women’s boxing, I would go miles and miles to prove we deserve equality, equal pay, equal opportunities and equal fight venues.
“I look forward to facing off with Vanessa. She does come forward and she’s a head-hunter. She’s big and she throws her weight around. I can’t wait for her to do that stuff to me so I can show her, ‘[Y]ou big and everything, and you’re strong, but there hasn’t been anyone I fought who wasn’t big and strong.’ I’m in the gym putting on some weight for you. I squatted 230 yesterday and I’m benching 185, just to keep this big girl off me.”
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.