espnW Blog: Claressa Shields
Jamie Squire /Allsport On March 16, 1996, Christy Martin and Deirdre Gogarty took to the ring in a Las Vegas boxing match that was considered by many to be the birth of modern professional women’s boxing. The two staged a bloody six-round slugfest and clearly impressed the ringside fans and a worldwide pay-per-view audience, upstaging Mike Tyson’s easy win over Frank Bruno.
AP Photo/Duane BurlesonWay back on Jan. 11 1805, Congress established the Michigan Territory, providing home soil for several gold medalists at the London Olympics. Tennis star Serena Williams (born in Saginaw), gymnast Jordyn Wieber (born in DeWitt), sprinter Lauryn Williams (raised in Detroit), boxer Claressa Shields (born in Flint), swimmer Allison Schmitt (raised in Canton) and water polo goalie Betsey Armstrong (born in Ann Arbor) all have Michigan ties.