‘Shields vs. Gabriels’ Results: Shields overcomes knockdown to win instant Detroit classic

Here are your results from the three fight Showtime broadcast out of the Masonic Temple in Detroit that featured two major women’s middleweight title bouts.

If you’re looking for the undercard results — you can find those here.

IBF North American Light Heavyweight Championship Bout (10 Rounds)
Umar Salamov (21-1, 16 KOs) defeats Brian Howard (13-2, 10 KOs) via KO – Round 9, 0:33

This wasn’t the most exciting fight on the card, the boo birds came out about halfway through it, but Salamov certainly got the result he wanted. Salamov would dispose of Howard with a right hand that left his opponent in visible pain with his mouth wide open against the ropes in the penultimate round — it was a gnarly scene. Howard fought a very cautious fight and he paid for it dearly. Salamov claims the vacant IBF North American LHW title with the victory.

Umar Salamov rocks Brian Howard and ends the fight via KO in round 9. #SalamovHoward pic.twitter.com/J8OlDV33Ur

— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) June 23, 2018

WBC & WBO Middleweight World Championship Bout (10 Rounds)
Christina Hammer (c) (23-0, 10 KOs) defeats Tori Nelson (17-2-3, 2 KOs) via UD (100-90, 99-91 x 2)

Hammer simply outclassed Nelson here from bell to bell. Her left jab was a thing of beauty and she landed it at will throughout the fight. She was quicker. She was physically stronger. And she was just better in every aspect of the fight. Nelson had heart — she was in it for the long haul — but this was a clinic.

Powerful performance from Christina Hammer who defeats Tori Nelson in commanding fashion. #HammerNelson pic.twitter.com/gVChOTUMkw

— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) June 23, 2018

Nelson tried to turn it into a brawl at times but Hammer was just too poised. She dished out her own brand of punishment to the body and the head of her opponent throughout en route to a lopsided decision victory.

IBF & WBA Middleweight World Championship Bout (10 Rounds)
Claressa Shields (6-0, 2 KOs) defeats Hanna Gabriels (18-2-1, 11 KOs) via UD (97-92, 98-91, 97-92)

Shields and Gabriels came together here to give fans one of the most exciting fights of 2018 thus far. Gabriels clipped Shields with an uppercut in the opening round after both girls came out slugging.

.@Claressashields defeats Hanna Gabriels via unanimous decision. #ShieldsGabriels pic.twitter.com/3nF0hX1Ego

— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) June 23, 2018

But the Flint, Michigan representer would come back from adversity, getting the best of Gabriels throughout the rest of a fight where both women’s fighting spirit was on full display. Both girls bit down on their respective mouthpieces while they threw haymakers at one another to close out this one — it was just that kind of fight.

Shields and Gabriels gave the fans in Detroit what they paid for on a night where the 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist had the fight that she needed to help her efforts to grow women’s boxing. Shields’ manager, Mark Taffet, told us after the fight that they will be working toward a match up with Christina Hammer for the this fall. Sign us up.