MMA
Claressa Shields: My goal is to be a two-sport world champion
Claressa Shields has the championship titles to back up her claim of being a GWOAT. Photo: Stephanie Trapp
Two-time Olympic gold medalist and three-division champion Claressa Shields is taking her talents to the cage, signing a multi-year deal with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) in which she will fight at 155 pounds in a bid to be the first man or woman to simultaneously hold world champion titles in boxing and mixed martial arts.
While it may seem that Covid-19 restrictions combined with the inactive year of 2020 could be the catalyst for this decision, Shields and her team are quick to point out that this move has been a long time in the making. Shields has close ties to MMA stars like Cris “Cyborg” Justino, Jon “Bones” Jones and Tyron Woodley, and has long wanted to test her mettle in the cage.
“Cyborg and I were already sparring, and Jonny Bones, Cyborg and Tyron told me they thought I would do great in MMA,” Shields told The Ring over the phone. “I think the transition will be straightforward for me because I have prepared for it. If we stick to a good game plan and I do everything I’m supposed to do in the gym, everything should go smoothly.
Shields (10-0, 2 knockouts) disputes the notion that she signed with the PFL due to continued delays in returning to the boxing ring, while Katie Taylor and Mikaela Mayer have been vigorous during the pandemic and each had two fights.
“I know some people will think I’m doing this now because maybe boxing isn’t doing well, but actually boxing is doing quite well. I plan on becoming a two-sport champion,” Shields said matter-of-factly. “Everyone has their time to shine. I was on top for a while. There was a time when I was very vigorous, fought four times a year and earned very good money.
“I’m only 25, I feel great. This is exactly the right time to do it,” adds Shields. “I don’t have to wait until I retire from boxing. I always planned to compete in MMA. It just always depended on the right situation, and the timing couldn’t have been better.
Shields said other promotional companies have approached her team about competing under a contract to fight one of their stars, but only PFL has actually committed to developing her into a top MMA champion over time.
Claressa Shields (left) won two 154-pound titles with her victory over Ivana Habazin. (Photo: Stephanie Trapp/Trappfotos/SHOWTIME)
“Before Claressa even made her professional debut, we sat down and developed a five-year strategic plan that included winning her first world title, winning multiple weight class titles, and also entering and winning an MMA title,” added Mark Taffet, Shields’ manager. “We knew she would surpass women’s boxing, but if she became a two-sport world champion, she would surpass sports in general and that was our plan.”
While Shields admits to being concerned about some aspects of MMA, she also remains extremely confident that her body will be able to adapt to the grueling demands of the sport, such as three five-minute rounds instead of the classic two-minute rounds in women’s boxing.
“It all worries me,” Shields said with a laugh. “I can be defeated; I might get hit. I might suffocate; I can get caught in the bar. This all worries me, but that’s why I want to do it. It’s a risk, just like in boxing. I can get hit with a jab, an uppercut and a right hook. Head hits happen in boxing. Both sports are to die for, so that part doesn’t change for me.
While Shields described her deal with PFL as “lucrative,” it also came at a time when female boxers earn significantly less than their male counterparts, and the U.S. women’s soccer team recently broke down barriers by demanding equal pay for their performances. Shields and her team believe she can be a trailblazer who opens the door for women to perform at huge events with larger handbags.
“We chose PFL because they pay men and women the same,” Taffet said. “Everyone has a chance to compete for a $1,000,000 prize at the end of the season. MMA has a huge and diverse audience. Claressa is the one who can attract these fans to boxing and make boxing even bigger than it is today.
Shields believes what sets her apart from other fighters is the work she puts in in the gym.
“I expect MMA to be challenging,” Shields said, “but at the same time I will train strenuous to make sure MMA becomes straightforward for me in the same way that boxing comes straightforward to me now. Before I fought Christina Hammer, she was considered a great fighter. After I easily defeated her, she suddenly stopped being a great fighter. She’s actually a great fighter who fought against the best fighter and I made it look straightforward.”
Claressa Shields (left) believes her more dominant victory and becoming undisputed champion shows she is the greatest female boxer of all time. Photo: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
For now, Shields plans to take it one day at a time, including deciding which gym will be her MMA home. In the coming months, Shields plans to visit top MMA gyms in the United States, including the famed Jackson Wink MMA Academy in Albuquerque, Up-to-date Mexico, where she will train with Holly Holm, who has also transitioned from boxing to a successful MMA fighter.
According to Shields promoter Dmitriy Sality, the plan for 2021 is for Shields to fight twice in the PFL and twice in the boxing ring, starting with a fight for the junior middleweight world championship in January or February.
“Claressa is always about creating ‘herstories,’ and when you have a once-in-a-lifetime talent like Claressa, it’s my job to do everything I can to support her dreams,” Salita said. “I understand how critical it is for Claressa to become MMA world champion and what it will mean for her boxing career. She’s off to a good start today, but as she achieves success in MMA, her boxing performances will be even greater. It will be special, as always with Claressa. Think back to her first professional fight. She fought Franchon Crews, who is a respected world champion. Claressa doesn’t want straightforward fights.”
The PFL is known for playing a full season of matches before entering a single-elimination playoff edition where the winner of each division receives $1,000,000. Claressa’s plan is to fight two fights in 2021 in the PFL and then enter the 2022 season and compete for the main prize.
“PFL does not want to exploit Claressa,” Taffet emphasizes. “It’s about developing the athlete to support her achieve championship potential in the sport. That’s why we chose PFL. They are a fighter-friendly organization and do not want to make quick money from it. It needs time. The future is vivid.”
Shields can’t wait to put on her four-ounce punching gloves to see how her MMA opponents handle her power.
“I’m going to be very explosive with these gloves,” Shields said. “I worked on improving my speed using regular boxing gloves. I can only imagine what four-ounce gloves will feel like.
Even with 10 consecutive wins inside the Octagon, UFC interim featherweight champion Max “Blessed” Holloway never had the opportunity to fight for the undisputed championship.
That will all change on Saturday when Holloway faces UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo in a unification fight at UFC 212 at the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
This will be only the second time in his career that Holloway will headline a pay-per-view card, but he is extremely confident of entering enemy territory in pursuit of his lifelong dream.
“I’ve been in the spotlight in my career, I’ve had a five-round fight outside the UFC and I’m ready for anything,” Holloway said during a recent conference call.
“I’m just ready to show the world what I’m about and why I’m the best fighter in this division.”
“Blessed” has finished seven opponents in his 10-fight winning streak, including a TKO over former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis to become interim champion.
Holloway and Aldo are two of the best all-around strikers in MMA today, but there aren’t many other similarities both inside and outside the Octagon. What they have in common, however, is that their last defeat came against UFC’s most recognizable star, “Notorious” Conor McGregor.
For Holloway, losing to McGregor four years ago was a good thing. He regrouped, became a more complete fighter and put together one of the greatest winning streaks in UFC history.
However, despite his incredible success at the championship level over the past few years, the UFC has been reluctant to put its hype machine behind Holloway, much to the surprise of many in the media and fans.
Even with this lack of pressure, Holloway is very excited to reign supreme in a division that has only had two undisputed champions in its compact history.
“I just can’t wait to do the damn thing; get in there and fight one of the best of all time,” Holloway said. “He is one of the greatest in our sport, but it is time for a up-to-date era.”
“I have been an underdog my whole life. I do not care. I shouldn’t be here. Max Holloway shouldn’t be talking to any of you. I shouldn’t be here. It is what it is. “Actions speak louder than words, and I have done many things.”
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