09 January 2020

Ivana Habazin brutally rips into 'disgraceful, disrespectful bully' Claressa Shields ahead of world title showdown

Croatian boxer Ivana Habazin has launched a scathing attack at Claressa Shields ahead of their world title showdown on Friday, labelling her a ‘disgraceful bully’.

The 30-year-old, who heads into the bout the overwhelming underdog, is looking to inflict a first defeat in ten professional fights on the American and pick up the WBO and WBC World Super Welterweight titles in the process.

And while Shields has warned her opponent that she doesn’t stand a chance, Habazin is full of confidence heading into the fight in Atlantic City.

“I welcome this opportunity and look forward to giving the bully a massive dose of humility and showing her what real boxing skills look like,” she said.

“You can expect to finally see someone actually box the bully. She still fights like she’s in the amateurs, she just hasn’t met anyone not intimidated by her BS yet. Someone who’s going to fight back and school her.

“She talks about disrespect, but doesn’t have a clue what that means. Every time she opens her mouth, she’s disrespectful. She’s a disgrace to women’s boxing and sports in general."

The pair were originally due to fight in October, but the contest was postponed when a member of Shields’ team attacked Habazin’s trainer.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Shields is hoping to make history as she bids to become a three-weight world champion in fewer professional fights than any male or female boxer has done before.

It is this pedigree that has led Shields to refer to herself throughout fight week as the ‘Greatest Women of All Time', something Habazin vehemently disagrees with.

"She self-anointed herself the GWOAT," she added.

"But, anyone who has even the slightest knowledge of the sport knows that Christy Martin, Lucia Rijker, Laila Ali, and Ann Wolfe would have wiped the floor with her.”

Full details of how, when and where to watch the fight can be found here.

The best videos delivered daily

Watch the stories that matter, right from your inbox