Claressa Shields vs Christina Hammer Odds,Tips & Best Bets

Kelsey McCarson

April 12th, 2019

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Quick Tips

• Bet Shields by any method over Hammer at -305 with 888Sport.
• Bet Shields on points over Hammer at -210 with William Hill.

Undefeated middleweight titleholders Claressa Shields and Christina Hammer face each other in perhaps the most significant event in women's boxing history on Saturday, April 13, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Shields, 24, from Flint, Michigan, pits her IBF, WBC and WBA titles against Hammer, 38, from Dortmund, Germany, the 160-pound WBO champion. While both fighters have been dominant as professionals, Shields will enter the ring on fight night a significant favorite.

For fans of boxing betting, Shields is -305 to defeat Hammer, who checks in at +240 with 888Sport. There’s also action at numerous sportsbooks, including William Hill, for you to bet the Method of Victory market.

Shields-Hammer Betting Tips

Shields (8-0, 2 KOs) is already one of the most accomplished female boxers in history. She’s a two-time gold medal winner and has the talent, skills and credentials to become something like professional boxing’s version of Rhonda Rousey, the former mainstream MMA star that helped launch the popularity of the UFC women’s division into the stratosphere.

Like Rousey’s Olympic Judo exploits, Shields gained experience and exposure that only high-level amateur contests afford fighters, something previously unavailable to women before 2012. That was the first year women’s boxing appeared at the Olympic Games.

But Shields has yet to face a fighter as accomplished as Hammer. The German stalwart is a technically superb boxer. Hammer (24-0, 11 KOs) employs a style that relies on sharp jabs, smart movement and righthand counterpunches.

Still, Shields saw just about every kind of style boxing has to offer. While Hammer has been an excellent professional, she didn’t spend near as much time in the amateur system so it’s safe to say she’s never fought anyone as good as Shields. In fact, she’s probably never even been inside the ring with a fighter as complete as Shields.

Shields-Hammer Best Bets

The winner of Shields-Hammer will become the second undisputed champion in women's boxing history and the first woman to be honored with a divisional championship awarded by The Ring magazine.

A hugely important fight for both the sport and its participants, Shields-Hammer has the potential to be a very competitive contest. While Shields is on her way to becoming a dominant force, she hasn’t let put all her assets together into a complete performance.

Because of Hammer’s simple but effective style and due to women’s boxing having two-minute rounds, it’s conceivable Hammer could surprise people and turn in a solid performance.

Still, Shields is fighting Hammer in America, so while the action might turn out to be competitive to those watching at home, it’s likely the three judges sitting at ringside would favor Shields. That’s partly because she’ll be more aggressive, but also because she has the money of the promoters and television networks backing her.

Back Shields by any method at -305 over at 888Sport. Hammer would have to hurt Shields badly to have a real chance at winning, and she doesn’t appear to have the kind of power that makes it likely.

That said, the best bet on the board is Shields on points at -210 over at William Hill. Shields has decent power but she’s not the wrecking ball people thought she might be when she first turned professional.