Boxing Wire

Tag: Claressa Shields

  • Alycia Baumgardner Names Fighter That Would Beat Claressa Shields

    Alycia Baumgardner Names Fighter That Would Beat Claressa Shields

    Alycia Baumgardner does not believe Claressa Shields is the best women’s boxer in the world. The unified super featherweight champion made that position clear on The Ariel Helwani Show ahead of her MVPW-02 title defense on Friday, going further by naming Michaela Mayer as someone she believes would beat Shields outright.

    “My opinion is Michaela Mayer would beat Clarissa Shields,” Baumgardner said. “I think skills matter. The skill set, the grit, the experience. Michaela Mayer and I fought in London, amazing fight. We sold that show. Nobody was tuning in for Clarissa Shields and Savannah Marshall. It was Alicia Baumgardner and Michaela Mayer that sold that show at the O2 Arena.”

    Baumgardner drew a distinction between Shields’ accomplishments and her actual ability, making clear she respects the resume without accepting the conclusion that it makes Shields the best.

    “Clarissa thinks she’s the best in the world. She truly believes that. I don’t think she is,” Baumgardner said. “I think she’s the most accomplished, but I don’t think she’s the best. I believe that Michaela Mayer has the skills to beat Clarissa Shields due to her experience in boxing, her loss, and her character build.”

    She also questioned Shields’ conditioning and commitment to making weight for bigger fights, issuing a direct challenge to her preparation habits.

    “How dedicated are you? Get a nutritionist,” Baumgardner said. “I’ve never seen that girl come to weigh-ins with abs at all, and I don’t know if that’s AI, so you can’t tell me. I’ve never seen her come to weigh-ins in tip-top shape. If you want those big fights, come down to the weight class and get a nutritionist. It’s not hard. Fighters do it all the time.”

    When the conversation turned to pound-for-pound rankings, Baumgardner dismissed the concept entirely, saying external validation plays no role in how she measures herself.

    “These are people who come together at the kitchen table to make a list. I do not care about that list,” she said. “I don’t move off other people’s validation for me, their expectations for me. I know what I do on a daily basis. Baby, I make my own list. I’m pound-for-pound 1 through 10.”

    Baumgardner defends her WBA, IBF, and WBO super featherweight titles against Bo Mi Re Shin at MVPW-02 on Friday, live on ESPN at 10 PM ET.

  • Claressa Shields Reacts Brutally to Deontay Wilder vs Anthony Joshua Rumors

    Claressa Shields Reacts Brutally to Deontay Wilder vs Anthony Joshua Rumors

    Claressa Shields recently dismissed the idea of a fight between Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua. She said the matchup no longer appeals to her despite renewed speculation following Wilder’s recent win.

    The former two-division undisputed champion reacted to Wilder’s split decision victory over Derek Chisora on April 4 at the O2 Arena in London. Wilder defeated Chisora in a messy but entertaining main event on an MF Pro fight card in association with Queensberry Promotions,

    Claressa Shields Reacts to Potential Joshua Matchup

    Reflecting on the Wilder-Chisora fight, Shields said:

    “They both crazy. I was happy to see Deontay Wilder get a win and not get hurt. And I want both of those guys to happily retire.”

    Following Wilder’s victory, he and Joshua had an awkward encounter that fueled speculation about a potential fight between the two aging heavyweights. When asked if Wilder vs Joshua is still an enticing matchup, Shields was direct in her assessment.

    “Not to me, but hey, if they want to do it, then go ahead,” she said.

    The potential Wilder-Joshua fight has been discussed for years but never materialized when both fighters were in their primes. Whether the two former world champions will finally meet in the ring remains to be seen.

  • Claressa Shields Defends Claim She Can Outbox Rolly Romero

    Claressa Shields Defends Claim She Can Outbox Rolly Romero

    Undisputed heavyweight champion Claressa Shields appeared on Nightcap with Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson to defend her viral claim that she could defeat WBA welterweight champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero in a sanctioned boxing match — and the conversation got heated fast.

    The Viral Claim That Started It All

    The controversy ignited after a clip from Shields’ appearance on the #RESPECTFULLY podcast with Justin Laboy went viral, in which Shields stated she could beat Romero based on her size advantage and superior boxing skills.

    “I didn’t say I’mma go in there and knock Rolly out. I didn’t say I can overpower him. I said I can outbox him,” Shields clarified.

    Shields also pointed to her physical edge, noting she walks around at 185 lbs while Romero competes at 140–147 lbs.

    Sharpe Pushes Back Hard

    Shannon Sharpe wasn’t buying it. The Hall of Fame tight end stood firm on the position that testosterone and raw physicality give male fighters an insurmountable advantage, regardless of skill level.

    Sharpe also called out Shields for what he viewed as a cheap shot online, setting a combative tone for the episode. He argued that skill cannot fully compensate for natural physical disparities between men and women in combat sports .

    Shields’ Case: Two Decades Sparring Men

    Shields leaned heavily on her experience training alongside men throughout her career. She detailed how she has sparred with men for two decades as part of her fight preparation, including for her bout against Franchon Crews-Dezurn, arguing that her technical proficiency and fight IQ translate across gender lines.

    “Boxing is not MMA,” she explained. “I get off on men and piece them up… because I’m a very serious boxer.”

    She also addressed the one time she was dropped in sparring, alleging her opponent used gloves with inadequate padding — a claim that added fuel to the ongoing debate.​

    Romero’s Response

    Rolly Romero himself chimed in, delivering a response that was equal parts diplomacy and shade.

    “I believe her. I believe she can beat me,” Romero said calmly, before adding that she’d knock him out, because he doesn’t hit women.

    Shields vs. Cyborg: Another Beef Surfaces

    The episode also surfaced a brewing conflict between Shields and MMA legend Cris Cyborg. Shields took aim at Cyborg for publicly challenging her to a boxing match while simultaneously using gym facilities that Shields herself had provided — a move Shields characterized as disrespectful and opportunistic.

    Ocho Steps Up

    In a lighter moment, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson proposed a sparring session between himself and Shields — which Shields promptly accepted.

    The debate over Claressa Shields and male opponents goes back to 2019, when she name-dropped Keith Thurman, Shawn Porter, and Gennady Golovkin as fighters she felt she could beat.