(JULY 23) DETROIT - German WBC
Super Middleweight World Champion Nikki Adler is hard at work
for her Friday, August 4 title defense against two-time Olympic
Gold Medalist Claressa "T-Rex" Shields.
Adler (16-0, 9 KOs) will make the third defense of her WBC
168-pound title, and try to add the IBF Super Middleweight belt
to her collection, against Flint, Michigan's Shields (3-0, 1 KO)
in the 10-round main event of Salita Promotions' "BATTLE OF THE
BEST" event at MGM Grand Detroit and Televised live on ShoBox:
The New Generation (10;30 p.m. ET/PT)
In the night's televised co-main, junior welterweight KO artist
Bakhtiyar "Bakha Bullet" Eyubov (13-0, 11 KOs) will face
undefeated prospect Sonny "Pretty Boi" Fredrickson (17-0, 11
KOs) over 10-rounds and to open the telecast, world-ranked super
bantamweight Vladimir Tikhonov (16-0, 9 KOs) of Russia will face
Texas slugger Jesse Angel Hernandez (8-1, 6 KOs) over eight
rounds.
Tickets for the event promoted by Salita Promotions are on sale
now and are priced at $350, $250, $125 and $60. They will be
available at www.ticketmaster.com.
Adler says the only adjustment to fighting in the North America
for the first time is to improve her English. And if she's
concerned about facing Shields, the only American to capture
back-to-back boxing gold medals at the Olympic Games, she's not
showing it. She hasn't even watched tape of Shields' meteoric
three-fight professional career. In fact, Adler and trainer Rene
Friese are asking Americans not to take it personally when their
hero falters against her.
How is training going?
It is going great! I work hard and I am very focused. My trainer
is very satisfied with me and my progress. We entered training
camp a few weeks ago, already had great tough sparring and I
will be very well prepared to defend what's mine: the green
belt.
Did you prepare any differently for this fight compared to your
others?
Yes, but it has nothing to do with Claressa. At the beginning of
the year, I changed my trainer who brought me and my boxing
skills to a new incredible level. I am better, faster and
stronger. This feels amazing!
What do you think of Shields as a fighter?
To be honest, I've never watched her fight, but I am sure
Claressa is a fighter from the bottom of her heart. So am I.
This will create magic moments on August 4.
Does it make any difference to fight in North America for the
first time?
Yes, because I need to improve my English. I speak German and
Croatian fluently and will do my very best to thank Claressa
personally for a great fight and to tell her without any
translator that she can be proud that she took the challenge and
one day she will be a champion too - maybe at middleweight.
What would a victory over Claressa Shields mean to you?
17-0
How do you feel about the recent resurgence of women's boxing?
Our fight announcement rocked the media, the fans and lot of
other boxers who want to be a part of the event. It is great to
see and it will get better. But, just a warning, America needs
to be strong when I take my belts back home to Germany. I said
it once before and I will say it again and again: The higher the
quality, the more attractive is the fight for the fans. The
state of woman's boxing needs tough woman like Claressa and me
who are not afraid of a challenge.
How does it feel to be fighting on Showtime and in front of the
world?
It is the biggest woman's boxing fight in 2017. Winning is the
only thing I'm concerned with.
What can the fans in Detroit and on television expect to see
from you?
Fans will see a fit fighter, they can expect a tough puncher
and, finally, a dominating reigning champion.
