TWO-TIME OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST CLARESSA SHIELDS TO CHALLENGE WBC WORLD CHAMPION NIKKI ADLER

Adler & Shields to Unify Female Super Middleweight Division in “Battle of the Best” at MGM Grand Detroit Live. Presented by Salita Promotions and live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

DETROIT- Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Claressa “T-Rex” Shields will challenge for her first world title against WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Nikki Adler in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation Friday, Aug. 4, live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT from MGM Grand Detroit.

A native of Flint, Mich., Shields (3-0, 1 KO) is the most accomplished amateur boxer in U.S. history and the only American to capture back-to-back boxing gold medals at the Olympic Games.  The 22-year-old will challenge for a world title in only her fourth professional fight against fellow undefeated Adler (16-0, 9 KOs), a German star who will make the third defense of her WBC 168-pound title.

Shields is headlining for the second time on national television, building on her history-making debut last March in what was the first women’s main event in premium television history.  If Shields dethrones Adler on ShoBox, she’ll become the 70th world champion in the history of the prospect developmental series.

“It’s a huge opportunity to fight in the U.S. on SHOWTIME against Claressa Shields,” Adler said.  “I am the multiple-time world champion and Claressa is a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist – why not fight in the biggest matchup possible?  This is a great challenge and we both will show our true potential.  I know I’ll give everything I have to be successful, as I have always done.  I’ve fought throughout the world, but never in the U.S.  It’s really a dream to fight in the biggest women’s boxing event in 2017.”

Shields said, “It is a dream come true for me to be fighting for a major world title in just my fourth professional fight.  I thank the champ, Nikki Adler, and her team for accepting the challenge and for coming to the U.S. for this championship.

“This fight is not only a milestone for me, it also is the biggest fight of the year in women’s boxing.  I want to thank SHOWTIME for their commitment to me and for their support of women’s boxing.  I promise to be in the best shape of my life and to give all my fans a performance to remember.”

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