IBF Title Bout Added To Claressa Shields vs. Christina Hammer Undercard

Claressa Shields and Christina Hammer are not the only women competing for a world title in Atlantic City on April 13 as a second title bout was added to the card.

The vacant IBF featherweight title will be on the line when Elena Gradinar and Brenda Karen Carabajal step into the ring next month. The fight will be on the non-televised portion of the card unlike the Shields vs. Hammer fight which will be shown on Showtime. 

The title’s first champion was Stacey Reile who won the title by defeating Dahiana Santana in March 2011. Santana won the rematch later that year and made three successful title defenses before a new champion was crowned in 2015 when Jennifer Han defeated Helen Joseph. Han last defended the belt in February 2018 when she won a unanimous decision against Lizbeth Crespo.

Gradinar is an unbeaten fighter from Russia who has won all nine of her pro bouts since making her debut in 2016. Gradinar last fought in March 2018 when she won a 10-round decision against Olivia Gerula to win the IBF Intercontinental titleholder.

Carabajal is on a two-fight win streak since unsuccessfully challenging for the WBO lightweight title in 2017, losing to Rose Volante by majority decision. It was Carabajal’s second time fighting for the WBO title as she was unable to win that title in her first attempt in 2016.

Shields vs. Hammer will headline the Showtime-televised portion of the card with the winner becoming the undisputed middleweight world champion.