Claressa Shields made a powerful comeback to middleweight with a sixth-round TKO victory over Kaye Scott in Atlanta. The win brought Shields back to the top of the middleweight division, reclaiming both the WBC and WBA titles. Shields had cut 38 pounds for this bout, dropping from heavyweight down to 160 pounds.
She described the training camp as extremely difficult, calling it the most disciplined period since her Olympic days, according to The Sun. Scott, who was 42 years old and making her first title defense, proved to be a stronger opponent than expected. Shields had to adjust her strategy early, as she noted that Scott was stronger than anticipated, according to a report from ESPN.
In the sixth round, Shields landed a devastating left hook that sent Scott stumbling. Scott was unable to recover and found herself against the ropes as Shields continued her assault. Scott’s corner quickly threw in towels, ending the round after just one minute and 38 seconds.
The victory improved Shields’ professional record to 19-0, with all wins coming by way of knockout or decision. This marks the third time Shields has become a middleweight champion in her career. Shields had previously fought at heavyweight, including a win over Franchon Crews-Dezurn in February.
She emphasized that she was trying to understand Scott’s style and strength during the early rounds. After the fight, Shields turned her attention to a potential matchup with Britain’s Lauren Price. Price is an unbeaten Olympic champion who has yet to lose a professional fight.
The two fighters have shown interest in facing each other, with Shields hoping for the bout between December and January. Shields has a history of rivalry with British fighters, including Savannah Marshall. Their amateur rivalry began at the 2012 World Championships in China, where Marshall defeated Shields.
Shields later avenged that loss in their professional rematch in October 2022. That victory allowed her to claim the WBO middleweight title and become undisputed champion. A showdown with Price could be another major step in Shields’ career, adding another Olympic champion to her resume.
Promoter Dmitriy Salita said that Shields chose to move down to middleweight in order to pursue bigger fights. Salita also indicated that a future fight in the UK remains possible, despite the current focus on other matchups. The boxing world is now looking forward to what could be an exciting year of fights.
Shields’ next challenge will likely be a high-profile bout with Price, setting up a major clash in the coming months.
IMAGE: U.S. Olympic middleweight gold medal champion. NYC June 2016. Photo: Greg2600 / Wikimedia, taken 2016-06-15, CC BY-SA 2.0