Lani Daniels TKO Upsets Shadasia Green for IBF & WBO Titles, Who Leaves The Garden on a Stretcher
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
New York, NY (April 19th, 2026)– Former International Boxing Federation World Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight female World champion Lani Daniels, in her six consecutive world title bout across three weight classes, scored an upset with a brutal ninth round stoppage of favored Shadasia Green, to win the international Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organisation female World Super Middleweight titles, in the highlight bout of a nine bout ESPN Jake Paul Promotions 02 nine bout card at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on Friday, April 18, 2026. Green left the ring on a stretcher. The bout is a candidate for Fight of the Year, Female Fight of the Year, and Upset of the year so far in 2026. Shadasia Green was the heavy favorite in her April 17, 2026 IBF/WBO super middleweight title defense against Lani Daniels, with odds around -600 to -700 depending on the bookmaker. It was the first win for Daniels outside of her native New Zealand.
It also marked the first time in professional boxing history that a male or female light heavyweight or heavyweight champion went down in weight and won the world super middleweight title. Then, World Super Middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez was unsuccessful moving up in weight in his attempt to defeat World Light Heavyweight champion Dmitriy Bivol in May 2022 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. World Welterweight and Middleweight champion Sugar Ray Leonard moved up in weight and came off the canvas in the fourth round to win the World Boxing Council vacant World Super Middleweight and World Light Heavyweight titles with a ninth-round stoppage of Donnie LaLonde at Caesars Palace Outdoor Arena in November 1988.
Daniels, now 12-4-2 with two knockouts, Pipiwai, New Zealand, age 37, scored only the second knockout of her nine-year pro career. Green, 16-2 with 11 knockouts, Paterson, New Jersey, aeg 36, tried to exert her jab, but Daniels applied pressure and walked Green down into the ropes. While the first five rounds were relatively close, Daniels used superior movement, maneuvering herself around the ring, and created punch angles that allowed solid right hands to get through Green’s defenses. After the first round, it appeared Daniels was winning the rounds on the cards in the two-minute female round format. The end came at 43 seconds of round nine, when Daniels landed at least 20 consecutive left and right hook nonstop combinations to the head of helpless Green, forcing referee Eric Dali to stop the brutal one-sided carnage at 32 seconds of the ninth.
Other Bouts on the MVP Promotions card at Madison Square Garden
Alicia Baumgardner outpointed B0 Mi Ri Shin over 10 rounds by unanimous decision, three-minute rounds, to retain the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organisation World Female Super Featherweight titles.
Elon Dejesus outpointed Connor Adaway over eight rounds by unanimous decision, super bantamweights.
Krystal Rosado outpointed Fernanda Reyes Delgado by unanimous decision over eight rounds in the female bantamweight division, two-minute rounds.
Natalie Dove outpointed Maria Micheo Santizo by an eight-round split decision, female flyweights, two-minute rounds.
Alex Vargas outpointed Rani Jalomo over eight rounds, female flyweights, two minutes rounds.
Raquel Miller outpointed Adriana Dos Santos Araujo over six rounds, female super middleweights, two-minute rounds.
Jahmal Harvey stopped Daniel Lugo in five rounds, lightweights.
Luis Gjolena stopped Robert Salinas in the second round, in the opening bout on the Madison Square Garden MVP Promotions card.
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Robert Brizel – Head Boxing Correspondent