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Claressa Shields showed why she’s dominating women’s

By Al Faqiih July 27, 2025

Claressa Shields showed why she’s dominating women’s boxing. So what’s next?

Claressa Shields seems to have done it all.

Undisputed world champion in five weight classes. The only boxer, male or female, to hold all four major belts in three weight classes. Two-time Olympic gold medalist. She has beaten champion after champion and taken their belts, piling them onto the tables at the media availabilities ahead of conquering her next victim.

The latest victim, of course, was Lani Daniels, whom Shields defeated by unanimous decision in front of an adoring home crowd of 15,369 at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday, July 26.

And so, the question is: Who is left for Shields to fight?

“I don’t know,” Shields said. “These girls are just to easy to beat. Man, people think it’s all about the knockouts. I got in there and I win 10 rounds, easy.”

Daniels didn’t make it that easy, despite what seemed like a lopsided matchup: A 16-0 Shields (with 3 KOs) coming off a win over one of the most feared women’s heavyweight fighters on the circuit in Danielle Perkins. She beat Perkins in February in Flint with a torn labrum to claim the undisputed heavyweight title. The injury meant she couldn’t access one of her most crucial punches – the jab – and she still defeated Perkins.

Daniels didn’t stand much of a chance against a healthy Shields.

Daniels knew that, though. It required a different strategy – “running,” according to Shields.

For the first two rounds, Daniels evaded hit after hit, darting around the ring and forcing Shields to chase her, while not giving her the opportunity to land many hard-hitting punches.

“She knew how strong I was and knew how much bigger I was than her, and she didn’t want to feel that power in the first two rounds,” Shields said. “And I think she was scared. I think she was terrified, but after the first two rounds, after cutting the ring off, and I hit her with a couple body shots, she slowed down, and that’s when she had to fight me.”

By Round 3, Daniels and Shields had settled in. Daniels was still evading whenever possible, but she also crowded Shields into corners to prevent her from using her full range and power to knock Daniels back.

Shields still managed to hit Daniels with more force than anything Daniels could muster, consistently maintaining the upper hand. She also found ways to work herself off the ropes just enough that she could escape any onslaught Daniels attempted. And she thoroughly dominated whenever she was in the center of the ring.

“I’m not a person who’s scared of the ropes,” Shields said. “Once I feel them, I know that they there, but I’m not a person who’s scared to fight off the ropes.”

Shields wanted a knockout, as always, but Daniels’ positioning meant she couldn’t land the uppercut to the head that she wanted. Instead, she went to work on Daniels’ body.

“I was really trying to break her down to the body today,” Shields said. “That’s probably the most body work I’ve done in a lot of fights. Usually they so easy to get to the head. I just take them all down here, take them off the head. But Lani, she got took to hell to the body tonight.”

Ultimately, Daniels’ defense didn’t matter much. Shields won convincingly in front of an adoring crowd.

What’s next for her is unknown, though she has reportedly challenged Laila Ali, the 47-year-old daughter of boxing legend Muhammad Ali – and a boxing legend in her own right, despite her 2007 retirement – to a fight with a $15 million purse.

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Claressa Shields Flaunts New Papoose Tattoo Ahead Of Lani Daniels Fight

By Al Faqiih July 26, 2025

Claressa Shields and Papoose have been an item for several months, and now, it looks like the professional boxer has gotten a permanent reminder of their love. In a new clip captured by The Shade Room, she’s seen at a weigh-in before her fight against Lani Daniels. Fans were quick to point out a new tattoo she has on her chest, which appears to be of Pap’s name.

Unsurprisingly, social media users have mixed feelings about the ink. Some are glad to see her putting their romance on full display. Others think this may have been a step too far. “I just hope it last cause this is embarrassing,” one Instagram commenter claims. “That lady is in love!!!,” someone else writes.

Other users are speculating that Shields debuted her new tattoo this way in an attempt to get under the skin of Papoose’s ex, Remy Ma.

Papoose & Claressa Shields

After all, the two of them have exchanged their fair share of harsh words in recent months. In December of last year, for example, Remy hopped online to put Pap on blast. This is when she revealed that he’s in a relationship with Shields. She posted some of their text messages too, accusing him of cheating on her with the athlete.

In response, Pap accused Remy of cheating on him with Eazy The Block Captain. That had been rumored for months leading up to this point, and was later confirmed. Shields got involved by taking to X to jokingly challenge the femcee to a boxing match.

“Claressa Shields vs @RealRemyMa Feb 2nd! Come get yo a** whooped crash out!!,” she wrote at the time. During an appearance on Baby This Is Keke Palmer in March, however, she confirmed that she never had any real intentions of hurting Remy. The two of them were even able to keep things cordial when they attended the same fight earlier this month.

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Claressa Shields vs Lani Daniels: How the fight was made with a DM

By Al Faqiih July 26, 2025

Lani Daniels ’ proposed April fight against Nailini Helu had just been cancelled, when Claressa Shields slid into her DMs on Instagram.

“It was pretty much like ‘you’re scared to fight me,’” Daniels tells DAZN News about Shields’ direct message to her.

The first thought that entered Daniels’ mind?

“I thought she could of at least said hello,” the New Zealand boxer says in jest, flashing a grin worthy of her nickname ‘The Smiling Assassin.’

Daniels’ next thought questioned the legitimacy of message, altogether.

“I thought maybe her account was hacked or something because she’s a big deal.”

Little did Daniels, the IBF light heavyweight world champion , know at the time that her coach and Shields’ team were in talks for Daniels to step up in weight and challenge the ‘GWOAT’ at heavyweight.

Daniels was honest with herself when responding to Shields.

“I was thinking ‘who wouldn’t be scared to fight the GWOAT?’” Daniels said of Shields. “She’s pretty intimidating. So I was thinking, ‘yeah that’s pretty scary but for me, I love a challenge.’ The best way to face fear is head on.

“So I was like ‘yeah, I’m scared of you, but I’ll still beat you.’”

With that, the groundwork was laid to fruition in the form of Daniels challenging for Shields’ undisputed heavyweight crown at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, and live on DAZN , on Saturday night.

If Daniels is to make history by being the first New Zealander to become undisputed heavyweight champion, she’ll have to upset Shields whose place in boxing history is cemented with indelible marks.

Daniels set to shock the GOAT

This past February, Shields (16-0, 3 KOs) became the first and only boxer, male or female, to reach undisputed glory in three different divisions, making heavyweight the latest jewel in her crown. That’s in addition to her two Olympic gold medals.

Dethroning that dominance and the aura of invincibility that surrounds Shields is what Daniels is up against, but it is a monumental task that her team believes can be done.

“She has flaws,” Daniels’ coach John ‘The Rebel’ Conway insists about Shields.

With Conway’s background in Kung Fu and Muay Thai blending into his approach in guiding Daniels, he promises his charge will present an unforeseen puzzle for Shields to solve, including an emphasis on single power shots over operating in a continuous flow state.

“Our punches are going to be a little different from a traditional boxer,” Conway vows of Daniels this weekend. “Our timing is going to be different, our range will be different and the power of Lani’s punches will be different from the other girls. It’s an aggressive, forward-forward motion boxing style.”

He adds: “We want to look at Claressa taking backwards steps and see how she does going backwards. Nobody has really done that before to her.”

It is a daunting task considering how dominant Shields has been in heavyweight action thus far, destroying Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse via second-round TKO to win the WBC title in July 2024 before delivering a unanimous decision over Danielle Perkins for the IBF, WBA and WBO titles in undisputed glory earlier this year.

At 37 and feeling like her window of opportunity is getting thinner, Daniels (11-2-2, 1 KO) will try for the massive upset in her heavyweight debut and first fight outside of New Zealand.

Daniels and her team know Detroit will pack supporters for Flint, Michigan native Shields and Conway boldly declares “we welcome the hostile crowd.”

That DM paved the way for this fight to happen. Now, Daniels views the fight itself as her moment to send tremors through the boxing world.

“There’s no other option for me. I’m going in there to win,” she says confidently. “She tends to take people’s souls and I’m going to take hers.

“I know she wants to make me quit, but that’s one thing … I’ll never quit.”

Shields vs. Daniels live on DAZN

Watch Claressa Shields versus Lani Daniels live on Saturday night with a DAZN subscription. Annual and monthly options available.

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Claressa Shields vs. Lani Daniels live results, round-by-round updates, ring

By Al Faqiih July 26, 2025

Claressa Shields vs. Lani Daniels live results, round-by-round updates, ring walks, start time for heavyweight title fight

Uncrowned has Claressa Shields vs. Lani Daniels live results, round-by-round updates, highlights, ring walks and start time for the Shields vs. Daniels fight card on Saturday night at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Two-time Olympic champion and Michigan native Shields looks to make the first defense of her undisputed heavyweight championship against underdog Daniels in the main event.

Shields (16-0, 3 KOs) is Uncrowned’s No. 2 pound-for-pound women’s boxer in the world. A five-division world champion who has held 17 major world titles, Shields is the only boxer in history — regardless of gender — to become undisputed champion across three weight classes, having done so at super welterweight, middleweight, and most recently, heavyweight. Shields accomplished the latter feat in February with a dominating victory over Danielle Perkins to unify all four major heavyweight titles. Generally regarded as one of the greatest female boxers in history, Shields was also the subject of the recent Hollywood biopic, “The Fire Inside.”

New Zealand’s Daniels (11-2-2, 1 KO) steps into the biggest opportunity of her career riding a seven-fight win streak that culminated in a September 2024 defense of the IBF light heavyweight title over Bolatito Oluwole. In addition to that belt, Daniels also previously held the IBF heavyweight title in 2023.

Shields vs. Daniels begins at 6 p.m. ET on DAZN. Main event ring walks are expected at 10 p.m. ET.

Follow all of the action with Uncrowned’s live results and play-by-play of the main card below.

Main card (6 p.m. ET, DAZN)

Undisputed heavyweight title: Claressa Shields vs. Lani Daniels

Middleweight: Tony Harrison vs Edward Diaz

Heavyweight: Pryce Taylor vs Robert Simms

WBA super lightweight interim title: Samantha Worthington vs Victoire Piteau

Featherweight: Caroline Veyre vs. Licia Boudersa

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Claressa Shields Calls Out Laila Ali to Make $15M Fight Happen

By Al Faqiih July 23, 2025

Boxing champ Claressa Shields is ready to step into the ring with a legend—and she’s putting $15 million on the table to prove it.

In a video shared by TMZ, Shields spoke directly to Laila Ali, daughter of Muhammad Ali and a retired boxing superstar, challenging her to accept the fight. “Laila, I’m here with my team. We got the $15 million. We got the venue. We got the dates. Now all we need is you,” she said.

Two massive venues—T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and AT&T Stadium in Dallas—are reportedly interested in hosting the fight, making it one of the biggest potential showdowns in women’s boxing history.

Ali has not responded yet, but fans are buzzing about the possibility of seeing two of the sport’s biggest names go head-to-head.

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Katie Taylor or Claressa Shields: Who is boxing’s real GWOAT?

By Al Faqiih July 23, 2025

Claressa Shields will return to the ring on Saturday night when she defends her undisputed heavyweight crown against Lani Daniels.

Shields has won all 16 of her professional fights and has branded herself the GWOAT (Greatest Woman Of All Time) after becoming a dominant force in female boxing.

But is she really the best? Irish icon Katie Taylor may have something to say about that following her victory over Amanda Serrano in their trilogy bout earlier this month.

Both Taylor and Shields have legitimate claims to the throne, so let’s see how they match up against each other across a number of categories to determine who really is the greatest.

Olympics

Taylor and Shields both competed at two Olympic Games in 2012 and 2016.

Taylor had incredible support in London, with her quarter-final against Britain’s Natasha Jonas generating record noise levels. She lived up to her billing as the favourite to claim a gold medal.

Shields was only 17 when she competed in London but was not fazed by the occasion as she stormed to glory in the middleweight division.

Four years later, both women returned to defend their titles. But it all went wrong for Taylor as she was beaten in the quarter-finals and returned home without a medal.

Shields had no such issues as she retained her title to become a two-time middleweight champion.

Overall amateur record

Taylor ruled the amateur scene long before women were given the green light to box at the Olympics in 2012.

She won five World Championship golds alongside six European Championship titles to cement herself as the standard-bearer in women’s amateur boxing.

But Shields also holds a remarkable amateur record after bursting onto the scene as a teenager.

She lost just once in the amateurs to Britain’s Savannah Marshall while picking up 77 wins, as she claimed two World Championship gold medals before turning professional.

Professional record

There is very little to split Taylor and Shields in the professional ranks. Shields is yet to taste defeat, while Taylor has lost just once in 26 bouts.

That solitary defeat came against Chantelle Cameron in May 2023. However, Taylor immediately activated her rematch clause and got her revenge to set the record straight.

Both women have become extremely tough to beat, with Taylor relying on her work rate and classy combinations, whereas Shields uses her speed to pick her opponents apart.

Dominant wins

Shields has made light work of her opponents throughout her time as a professional.

Thirteen of her 16 fights have gone the distance, but all of her decision victories have been unanimous.

The same has not been the case for Taylor. While the early stages of her career went smoothly, she was then pushed to her limit by Belgium’s Delfine Persoon on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s shock defeat by Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019.

Taylor got the nod via majority decision but a number of ringside observers felt Persoon should have got her hand raised.

Since then, Taylor has had two close fights with Chantelle Cameron and three against Amanda Serrano.

She was declared the winner in four of those five contests, but on another day, some of those decisions could have gone against her.

Undisputed status

Taylor is a two-division world champion and has held undisputed status in both weight classes.

But she cannot keep up with Shields in this category. The American superstar has held titles in five weight categories, and been the undisputed champion at light-middleweight, middleweight and heavyweight.

Shields’ ability to move up and down the divisions proves she is a special talent and that her skillset has translated across against bigger and smaller opponents.

It also leaves her flexible with regards to future moves as she is capable of switching back down from heavyweight to show she is still the best in lighter weight classes.

Level of opposition

This is where Taylor certainly has the edge. The strength in depth in women’s boxing in the lower weight divisions is significantly better than the higher weight classes, which goes some way to explaining why Taylor has not had things all her own way.

Shields’ victory over Savannah Marshall in 2022 – which avenged her loss from a decade earlier – is widely seen as her best professional win.

But she has also claimed a number of victories over little-known opponents during her rise.

Meanwhile, Taylor has taken on the likes of Amanda Serrano, Chantelle Cameron, Natasha Jonas and Delfine Persoon, and still managed to come out on top on all but one occasion.

Time after time, Taylor has taken on the toughest challenges to prove her greatness. To her credit, Shields has tried to do the same, but the level of competition is not comparable.

Final verdict

Shields leads the way in most categories, highlighting how she has a strong claim to being the greatest female fighter ever.

She is also still only 30 and could have many years ahead of her to further enhance her legacy.

Meanwhile, Taylor is coming towards the end of her legendary career having turned 39 earlier this month.

She hinted at retirement after her last win over Amanda Serrano and nobody would begrudge her walking away as she has nothing left to prove.

For now, it is Shields who warrants being regarded as the GWOAT, but there is no doubting that Taylor is also an all-time great whose legacy will live on forever.

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Claressa Shields Returns Home to Defend Her Undisputed Throne Against

By Al Faqiih July 22, 2025

Claressa Shields Returns Home to Defend Her Undisputed Throne Against Lani Daniels

On Saturday, Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena will host a historic night as Claressa “T-Rex” Shields, the first undisputed female heavyweight champion, makes the first defense of her title against New Zealander Lani Daniels.

Born in Flint, Michigan, Shields returns to her home state to showcase her championship before her fans. She secured the undisputed crown earlier this year after dominating undefeated Danielle Perkins in a grueling ten-round battle that marked a turning point in her career. Now, with her legacy on the line, she faces Daniels—a disciplined, respectful challenger determined to make her mark on the world stage.

At the Detroit press conference, Shields reaffirmed her confidence:

“There is no woman in the world who can beat me,” she declared. “I’m getting the big fights I want, and I’m ready to prove once again why I’m the best.”

Daniels acknowledged the challenge ahead:

“It’s an honor to share the ring with Claressa. We’ve trained hard and plan to put on a great fight. We’re coming to win.”

But July 26 won’t just be a night of punches—it will be a night of inspiration. Shields launched the “Follow Your Dreams” program, a community initiative in partnership with young actor and motivational speaker King Moore. Sponsored by SMT Financial Partners, the program will allow 1,000 Detroit children to attend the fight free of charge, offering them an unforgettable experience.

That night, Moore will perform the song “Follow Your Dreams” live in the center of the ring, surrounded by the invited children, in a heartfelt tribute aiming to inspire hope, self-esteem, and ambition in the next generation.

“I know what it’s like to grow up with big dreams and few resources,” Shields said. “I want Detroit’s youth to know they can achieve whatever they set their minds to. I am proof of that.”

Additionally, Shields donated 200 tickets to Detroit’s Downtown Boxing Gym, recognizing the gym’s vital role in mentoring local youth.

Promoter Dmitriy Salita placed Shields alongside legends like Ali, Tyson, and Joe Louis, referring to the heavyweight division as “the division of the greatest champions in history.” Howard Handler, president of 313 Presents, reinforced that legacy:

“Claressa is carrying women’s boxing on her shoulders and bringing it back to Detroit. This is already her home.”

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Claressa Shields Believes Edgar Berlanga Can Bounce Back

By Al Faqiih July 22, 2025

Claressa Shields loves using her words to get under the skin of her opponents. Edgar Berlanga seemingly feels the same. The difference, however, is that Shields has no problem backing up every word she utters.

For the better part of two months, Berlanga clowned Hamzah Sheeraz. He called the lanky super middleweight contender chinny, a giraffe, and even claimed he was a lower-level fighter who stood no chance against him.

The trash-talking was good for the cameras but once the bright lights turned on and it was go time, Sheeraz made him eat every single word.

It was a bad night at the office for Berlanga at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York, this past Saturday. After a few successful rounds, Berlanga (23-2, 18 KOs) was clipped in the fourth and finished in the fifth.

Considering how he was bulldozed, Berlanga’s critics have come out of the woodwork. Shields though, wants everyone to get off his back.

“Edgar is a talented fighter,” Shields told The Ring recently. “Some may feel otherwise but he’s really talented.”

Berlanga, 28, will have a few months to plan his next move. The Puerto Rican ticket seller is an unsigned free agent and is coming off a damaging loss. His persona also took a hit.

By and large, Berlanga’s words and threats provided empty results. Shields, having known Berlanga for years now, wishes he did a little less talking and more action. Still, she knows it’s a part of his DNA. Next time, she hopes her good friend can go out there and take care of business.

“When you talk a certain way, you gotta back it up. He didn’t back it up this time but maybe next time he can do a little less of that and back it up.”

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Claressa Shields Completes Laila Ali Callout With $15 Million Check

By Al Faqiih July 19, 2025

Claressa Shields put her money where her mouth is when it comes to a callout of Laila Ali.

Women’s boxing legend Laila Ali was asked what it would take to bring her out of retirement to fight Claressa Shields while she was attending the July 11 trilogy fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.

“The rumor that I heard is that unless somebody has $15, $20 million, don’t even call me [about a fight against Shields]. That’s all I got,” Ali responded. “I said unless somebody calls me and says they have it, we’re not even gonna have a conversation. I’m not trying to come back and fight, but if someone offered that kind of money, I would actually have to think about it.”

This response prompted Shields (who has been beckoning the 47-year-old Ali to fight her for years now) to make an X post that wrote, “What a great weekend of boxing 🥊! Really motivated! Now @TheRealLailaAli I’m the GREATEST NOW! Be careful what you ask for ! You know I’ve been wanting to make you eat your words! You not a better boxer than me & at 175 I’ll put you on your back! BEEN READY FOR YOU! #GWOAT @claressashields”.

And these weren’t empty words from Shields. This was proven by her forking up the $15 million that Ali requested, which was shown with a recent video from TMZ where the “GWOAT” said, “Laila, I’m here with my team. I got some great news for you. We got the $15 million!

“Let’s make a fight between me and you. The best versus the best. The greats versus the greats. The GWOAT versus Muhammad Ali’s daughter, Laila Ali. Let’s make it happen,” she added.

There was also more than just the video, as Shields has been seen posing with a giant $15 million check that’s addressed to Ali, which has since gone viral on social media.

Ali has yet to offer a response.

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Claressa Shields Shares How Much She Loves Spending Quality Time With

By Al Faqiih July 18, 2025

Claressa Shields Shares How Much She Loves Spending Quality Time With Papoose In Latest IG Story

Claressa Shields and Papoose relationship highlights the collision of celebrity, personal vulnerability, and public perception.

Claressa Shields is enjoying every minute of her relationship with rapper Papoose. In her latest IG story, she shares with her followers the day’s activities, which mainly includes being around the rapper. After accepting an award in College Park, Georgia, the GWOAT shares a clip featuring Papoose walking through a gleefully hallway.

Shields identifies Pap as “My man,” while she pans the camera to him and reciting the trending catchphrase. “I just been with my man, my man, my man,” she chants to a grining Pap.

On Livebitez’s Instagram account, the original clip of the catchphrase would be added behind instrumental to the classic Field Mob and Ciara track, “So What.” “He’s fine I don’t blame her,” commented a fan under the commment section of the Livebitez post.

The “My Man” catchphrase stems from a viral social media clip by City Girls’ Yung Miami. “My man, my man, my man,” Yung Miami chants in the popualr clip. Since then, the catchphrase has become heavily used by many to describe the love for their significant others.

Claressa Shields & Papoose

The GWOAT and Pap have quickly become one of pop culture’s most talked-about and polarizing couples. Their romance, first revealed in late 2024, ignited controversy when Papoose’s estranged wife, rapper Remy Ma, allegedly leaked private text messages between the boxing champion and her husband. The public fallout sparked widespread speculation across social media platforms, casting a spotlight on the pair’s relationship even before it had fully taken shape.

Despite the drama, Shields has defended the bond. In interviews, she called Papoose’s support unwavering and described their connection as rooted in mutual respect and friendship. She confirmed that their relationship developed gradually through constant communication, even as Papoose remained legally married to Remy Ma. For Shields, the partnership represents emotional stability during a period of both personal and professional intensity.

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