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CHRISTINA HAMMER: "I'M READY FOR YOU TORI...IT'S TIME FOR ME TO SHINE"

By Press Release | June 20, 2018
CHRISTINA HAMMER:

Unified Women’s Super Middleweight World Champion Claressa Shields and unified 154-pound champion Hanna Gabriels met face to face during the final press conference in advance of their fight to decide the IBF and WBA Women’s Middleweight World Championships this Friday live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT).

The SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION telecast features the No. 1 fighter at 168 pounds facing the No. 1 fighter at 154 pounds as they both attempt to become champions for the first time in the middleweight division. In the telecast co-feature unified women’s middleweight champion Christina Hammer defends her WBC and WBO titles in her U.S. debut against former world champion Tori Nelson. Also, light heavyweight prospects Umar Salamov and Brian Howard will meet in a 10-round matchup that will open the tripleheader from Masonic Temple in Detroit. 

Here is what some of the principals had to say on Wednesday at the St. Regis Hotel in Detroit. Howard was not able to attend because of weather-related travel issues.

CHRISTINA HAMMER

“I’m ready for this. I’m ready for you Tori. You want these two belts? You have to pass through me first. It’s time for me to shine and I’m ready. 

“It was disappointing for me not to fight in January. I had some visa issues but now I have everything in order for me to make my debut. I’m so excited to finally step into the ring in the U.S. 

“Right now, I’m only focused on my next fight and Tori is my target. Whatever Claressa does, I’m not focused on that. After the fight, I’m looking forward to fighting her but at the moment it’s only Hammer and Nelson.

“I saw Tori fight against Claressa. Tori is a tough fighter who likes to come forward and land some punches from the outside. I’m a longtime champion and I know how to fight against these types of fighters who come forward.

“I feel that I’m in the best shape of my life right now. I prepared very well and I have my weight already. I ate very disciplined and clean. I spent a week in Ft. Lauderdale and now I’m in Detroit so I feel ready to go and looking forward to the fight.

“I think Shields is looking forward to fighting me and is not so focused on Gabriels like she should be. I am focused only on Nelson and that’s who I prepared to beat. After this fight, we can talk about Hanna or Shields.”

TORI NELSON

“I must say that I was very hurt to get my first loss but to have it against Claressa, I’m honored. She carries herself as a champion and in order to find out if you are the best, you have to fight the best. That’s what I did. I went up a weight class and I fought the best. She showed me she was.

“Styles make fights and it’s going to be interesting but we’re going to take this win home.”

UMAR SALAMOV

“This is a tough, exciting fight for me but I’m ready for the top light heavyweights in the world and I’m going to prove that on Friday night. I know I’m a strong, heavy puncher and I’m going to show that and give my best.

‘I will bring a high-level and lots of energy. I’m going to show that I belong in the championship picture. It feels incredible and I’m honored to be fighting on SHOWTIME.”

CRAIG FLADAGER, NELSON’S TRAINER

“They say that lightning doesn’t strike twice in one spot but we were fortunate enough to get a second opportunity on SHOWTIME. There’s no shame in losing to probably the best female fighter there’s ever been. Mad respect for Claressa. We like our chances against Christina Hammer, who we have a lot of respect for. Styles make fights. In this one, it’s kind of like Ali vs. Frazier. You have the tall, long Christina with the great jab and you have Tori at her best fighting weight. It’s going to be a really good contrast of styles and a great fight to watch.”

JAVAN SUGARHILL STEWARD, SALAMOV’S TRAINER

“This reminds me of when I was a kid and championship boxing was in Detroit in full stride. We have exciting boxing with the top female boxers in the world here performing in Detroit. Female boxing is on the rise and it’s become more entertaining than men’s boxing in a lot of ways. I’ve always thought that Claressa Shields was the big star in boxing to bring women’s boxing back to the forefront. 

“There’s been a lot of good boxing here in Detroit. We have brought over a lot of fighters from Russia, one of them being Umar Salamov. I’ve been very impressed with his performances in the short amount of time that he’s been training with me. He learns very fast. He has a lot of talent, good footwork, good punching power and he likes to have fun. He has a tough fight on Friday against Brian Howard, but if you want to build a champion you have to put him in tough fights at the right time.”

# # #

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions, are available at Ticketmaster.com or at the Masonic Temple Box Office at (313) 832-7100.  VIP tickets are priced at $300, ringside tickets at $125, and remaining tickets at $75, $50 and $35.  

For more information visit www.sho.com/sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports.

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