Lani Daniels Shocks Shadasia Green in Scary Ninth-Round Stoppage at MSG
The women’s boxing world was left stunned Friday night at Madison Square Garden. Lani Daniels stopped the heavily favored Shadasia Green in the ninth round to claim the unified IBF and WBO super middleweight championships in one of the biggest upsets of 2026.
Green had been the aggressor for most of the fight, but Daniels turned the tide in dramatic fashion. In the opening seconds of the ninth round, Daniels unleashed a relentless barrage of right hands that landed clean on Green’s face. The champion offered no response, and referee Eric Dali made the right call stepping in to stop the contest.
What followed was a terrifying scene. Green, who initially stood up after the stoppage, was placed on a stool and then loaded onto a stretcher before being rushed to a nearby hospital. The sight of a fighter being carried out of the ring brought a somber tone to what should have been a celebratory moment for Daniels.
Thankfully, the news was encouraging. MVP Promotions’ director of boxing Mike Leanardi confirmed at the post-fight press conference that Green was “awake and talkative” at the hospital. As of Saturday, Green remained hospitalized in the New York area but was reported to be conscious and communicative.
Green, a New Jersey native, was making her first defense of the unified belts she won with a split decision over Savannah Marshall last July. She entered as the favorite and was widely expected to cruise toward a future showdown with undisputed champion Claressa Shields. Instead, Daniels rewrote the script entirely.
For Daniels, this is a life-changing victory. The New Zealand fighter snapped a two-fight losing streak and heads home with two world title belts after pulling off one of the most stunning upsets in women’s boxing history.
Shadasia Green unified the IBF and WBO super middleweight titles with a split decision over Savannah Marshall in July 2025, establishing herself as one of the top fighters at 168 pounds. Lani Daniels is a New Zealand-based fighter who claimed the unified titles with her ninth-round stoppage of Green at Madison Square Garden.
