Rio Olympics: USA’s Claressa Shields wins first bout of Games
USA's Claressa Maria Shields (red) celebrates winning against Russia's Iaroslava Iakushina during the women's middle (69-75kg) quarterfinal 3 match at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Riocentro - Pavilion 6 in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 17, 2016. Credit: AFP/Getty Images / Yuri Cortez
Olympic gold medal boxer Claressa Shields has won her first bout of the Rio Games and will fight for another medal.
Shields unexpectedly dominated the first Olympic women’s boxing tournament in London and won the gold medal. She controlled Russian fighter Iaroslava Iakushina from the opening bell and won a unanimous decision in a middleweight bout.
Shields, a fearsome puncher from Flint, Michigan, about knocked the headgear off Iakushina with a shot in the fourth round. She swept the scorecards 39-37, 40-36, 40-36. She walked outside the ring and craned her neck to check out the scores on the videoboard.
She saw something a little different on the screen — her name was spelled “Claresa” and has been spelled incorrectly on bout sheets this week.
Shields hasn’t lost a fight since London, winning two world championships and a Pan-American Games title.
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