Clarissa Shields is a singular warrior. The undisputed champion, she is a multi-weight titleholder who has additionally competed in MMA and can struggle for a fourth-division title later this month.
She’s going to problem Vanessa LePage-Joannis for the WBC heavyweight title in Detroit.
Solely two ladies have gained the Olympic middleweight gold medal, Shields in 2012 and 2016, and Lauren Value of Wales, who most not too long ago gained in Tokyo.
Value dropped to welterweight after the Olympics and has solely fought seven fights in her profession, however has already gained her first British ladies’s title and the WBA world title.
Shields did not rule out Value as certainly one of her future rivals.
“It is onerous to prime something as an Olympic champion. She gained the 2021 Olympics,” Shields instructed us sky sports activities.
“I really feel like once you’ve traveled the world and boxed and gained world titles, you are destined to do nice issues in your profession. I want her the perfect of luck.”
They will not be clashing within the close to future. Value has quite a lot of ambitions to satisfy at welterweight, and Shields is making weight for the Lepage-Joannis struggle.
However heavyweight is what the WBC calls the twelfth 7-pound division, mild heavyweight (the WBO mild heavyweight title may also be at stake of their struggle).
Shields has fought throughout a number of weight lessons, together with tremendous welterweight and tremendous middleweight, however is a pure middleweight.
Value’s biggest novice success got here at middleweight, the place she gained world and European gold medals in addition to Olympic gold. Alongside the best way, she additionally defeated the 75kg mild heavyweight world champion.
Shields doesn’t suppose their present weight class essentially units them aside.
“She gained the Olympic title at 165 kilos (75 kilograms), similar to I did — twice — and if she wished to compete, I might like to compete along with her,” Shields stated.
“I consider something is feasible and I actually need to struggle whoever desires to struggle me. So if Lauren Value continues to win at 154 kilos, 160 kilos, 168 kilos, we are able to struggle and Show who’s the perfect Olympic champion.
Shields’s archrival was one other Englishman, Savannah Marshall. The American defeated Marshall within the 2022 grudge match. However Marshall, who now additionally competes in MMA, will struggle Shields once more.
“I beat her within the UK and have her 20,000 followers. She wants to return to America and struggle me in entrance of my 20,000 followers and let’s have a look at if she will be able to deal with being booed, having her nationwide anthem booed. And other people instructed her she was horrible, Shields declared.
“I might like to struggle her once more and show that I am not solely twice nearly as good as you, however I am twice nearly as good as you within the cage and within the ring. Regardless of which one it’s, it actually would not matter. vital.
However first, Shields has the extra urgent process of incomes one other honor in opposition to Lepage-Joannis.
“I’ll Degree 4,” she stated. “It should be an enormous deal and it should make historical past.”