Claressa Shields and Christina Hammer, on a collision course for the past year, have a date and site for their undisputed women's middleweight world championship fight.
They will each put their two 160-pound world titles on the line on Nov. 17 (Showtime, 10:30 p.m. ET/PT) at the Adrian Phillips Theater at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, organizers announced on Tuesday.
"The two best middleweights in the world -- both champions, both undefeated and both motivated to prove who is the best -- are bringing their skills, confidence and heart to the ring in the greatest women's matchup of all time," said Dmitry Salita, Shields' promoter. "Shields versus Hammer will take boxing, and women's sports, to a new height."
The winner of the fight will become just the second woman of the four-belt era to hold all the titles in one division. The other is reigning undisputed women's welterweight world champion Cecilia Braekhus (34-0, 9 KOs), the No. 1 women's pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
"I've worked hard my whole life to overcome every obstacle, represent my country and win two Olympic gold medals, and win world championships in two weight divisions as a pro," Shields said. "I want to be part of the biggest fight in women's boxing history, I want to be undisputed world middleweight champion, I want women's boxing to reach new heights, and the only thing standing between me and the achievement of all those goals is Christina Hammer.
"I will defeat Hammer on Nov. 17, and I will do it in a way that will leave no doubt who is the best in the world."
Shields (6-0, 2 KOs), 23, of Flint, Michigan, who won back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 2012 and 2016, claimed two super middleweight world titles in her fourth fight 13 months ago when she knocked out Nikki Adler in the fifth round. After one defense, Shields dropped down in weight for a June 22 fight against Hanna Gabriels for two vacant middleweight world titles. Although Shields suffered the first knockdown of her career in the first round, she rallied for a clear unanimous decision.
Her first defense will come against longtime unified champion Hammer, who has held a middleweight world title since 2010 and cruised to a shutout decision against Tori Nelson in a title defense on the Shields-Gabriels undercard that was intended to set up their eventual undisputed title showdown. Hammer (23-0, 10 KOs), 28, of Germany, who has also won a world title at super middleweight, will be making her 13th middleweight title defense.
"I am beyond excited and motivated to fight Claressa," said Hammer, who will be fighting in the United States for the second time. "I am the best middleweight in the world and will make that point very clear when we get in the ring. It's been my dream to fight in the biggest women's fight of all time and raise women's boxing to an all-time high. I will be crowned the undisputed middleweight queen on Nov. 17."
Only four male boxers have won all the major belts in the four-belt era: cruiserweight Oleksandr Usyk in July, junior welterweight Terence Crawford in 2017, middleweight Jermain Taylor in 2005 and middleweight Bernard Hopkins in 2004.
Mark Taffet, Shields' manager, previously was the longtime head of HBO PPV and was closely involved in many megafights, including undisputed title fights involving Taylor and Hopkins.
"I have been fortunate to be part of some of the biggest and most important fights in boxing history, and I am thrilled to play a part in the Shields versus Hammer undisputed middleweight championship fight on Showtime," Taffet said. "This is a fight which will make its mark on history and change the landscape for women's boxing and what better venue to host this historic fight than Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, home to some of the greatest fights of our generation, including (Mike) Tyson versus (Michael) Spinks, (Evander) Holyfield versus (George) Foreman and (Arturo) Gatti versus (Micky) Ward (II and III). I can't wait to see these two great champions give the fans a night to remember for generations to come."
While Shields is interested in making history and etching her name in women's boxing lore, she also had a message for Hammer.
"I'm ready to fight her," Shields said. "I'm ready to kick her ass."