Claressa Shields, the undefeated world champion boxer and two-time Olympic gold medalist, has broken her silence following a suspension for testing positive for marijuana.
The 29-year-old appeared on Tamron Hall this week to offer her side of the story, explaining how a routine oral mouth swab could have resulted in a positive test after her recent victory in Michigan. She’s maintained that she didn’t smoke but may have had traces of marijuana from contact.
“One, the place reeked of marijuana,” Shields explained, recalling the venue where the fight took place. “Before I got to do the mouth swab, everybody was hugging and kissing me in Flint. … I know some boxers don’t stop and greet the fans, but I’m not one of them. I hugged and kissed everybody back.”
Shields further asserted that while her test may have come back positive, a urine test she later took proved her negative status, affirming her claim of always competing clean. “I’ve always competed clean, and I stand by that,” she said, sharing the negative results. “I take my integrity seriously inside and outside the ring.”
Hall insightfully explained to the audience that while oral swabs can sometimes give false positives from inhaling secondhand smoke, urine tests remain the most reliable method for detecting marijuana use.
Despite the clarification, the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission didn’t hesitate to issue a statement following the positive result, labeling Shields’ conduct as “an immediate threat to the integrity of professional boxing, the public interest, and the welfare and safety of professional athletes.”
Shields, who was visibly upset by the commission’s harsh words, expressed how the accusations hit her deeply.
“When I read that, that’s what kind of hurt my feelings a little bit because I know that I don’t do anything wrong when it comes to boxing, and being a Black woman in the sport already, I have to work 10 times harder to even get equal pay, to even get put on TV, to get respect,” she shared. “I don’t even get to prove my innocence; I’m just already guilty. Everybody’s posting this stuff, saying that I’m a danger to the sport, I’m suspended, I smoke marijuana.”
Despite the public backlash, Shields remained grateful for her supporters and made it clear that she would be back in the ring soon. “I’m not suspended from boxing; I’m suspended [from fighting] in Michigan,” she clarified. Last week (Feb. 2), Shields won her fight against Danielle Perkins.
As the only boxer to have captured every major world title in three weight classes, Shields’ impressive career remains indisputable despite the obstacles that come her way. Take a look at her full interview with Tamron Hall below.
FLINT – Two-time Olympic gold medalist and undisputed WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight champion Claressa Shields has been nominated for Black Entertainment Television’s Sportswoman of the Year award.
Shields, an undefeated world champion, took to her social media accounts yesterday to announce that she has been nominated for BET Awards’ Sportswoman of the Year.
“Thank you BET for recognizing the GWOAT and showing love to women’s boxing amongst so many other great women,” Shields wrote on her X account.
The Flint native, who was nominated in 2020 and 2021 for the award, is the first female boxer to ever be nominated, which will be announced at the BET Awards on June 9 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Calif.
Other nominees for Sportswoman of the Year include Angel Reese, Simone Biles, A’ja Wilson, Coco Gauff, Dawn Staley, JuJu Watkins, Sha’Carri Richardson, and Flau’jae Johnson. Reese, a WNBA star for the Chicago Sky, has won the award the past two years.
Since the award’s origination for both men and women in 2001, no boxer has won it. Gervonta Davis was the last boxing nominee in 2024, when New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson won the award.
Shields (16-0) is scheduled to fight New Zealand’s Lani “The Smiling Assassin” Daniels (11-2-2) July 26 at Little Caesars Arena.
Claressa Shields vs. Lani Daniels tickets: Cheapest prices, best seats for 2025 Little Caesars Arena boxing fight
Claressa Shields continues to take on all challengers. The self-proclaimed “G.W.O.A.T.” defends her status as the undisputed heavyweight champion on July 26 against Lani Daniels. The fight emanates from inside Little Caesars Arena.
Shields (16-0) is a two-time Olympic gold medalist. The 30-year-old is a three-time undisputed champion, holding all the gold at middleweight, super welterweight, and heavyweight. She beat Danielle Perkins in February to become undisputed at the latter level.
A record-breaking superstar, Shields returns to the venue where she won the WBC belt, ready to put on a show in front of family, friends, and fans.
“This will be one of my biggest fights yet,” Shields told the Detroit Free Press. “So you want to be there, and I’m going to prepare to give you guys a spectacular knockout.”
Daniels (11-2-2) is the IBF light heavyweight champion. It is a similar weight class to heavyweight (175) in women’s boxing. The two-time New Zealand amateur boxing champion went 0-1-2 in 2019 and has since won seven straight.
Here’s how to get the cheapest prices and best deals for Claressa Shields vs. Lani Daniels.
Claressa Shields vs. Lani Daniels Little Caesars Arena tickets
Tickets: StubHub
Claressa Shields vs. Lani Daniels is in Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan on July 26, 2025. Home to the Detroit Red Wings and Pistons, the arena can hold up to 22,000 people.
Tickets are available now on StubHub.
Ticket prices start at $66.
Prices then range from $70, $80, $90, $100, $200, $300, $700, $900, and $1,118.
Little Caesars Arena seat map for Claressa Shields vs. Lani Daniels
Here’s the seating map for Little Caesars Arena:
(StubHub)
Claressa Shields vs. Lani Daniels fight card
Claressa Shields (c) vs. Lani Daniels for the IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO heavyweight titles
Claressa Shields’ promoter remains hopeful that she and Savannah Marshall will fight again.
Dmitriy Salita told The Ring that Shields’ side is open to making their rematch next if Shields and Marshall win their scheduled fights in July. The undefeated Shields — a five-division champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist from Flint, Michigan — and England’s Marshall have expressed mutual interest in a second showdown.
Shields defeated Marshall by unanimous decision in their 10-round middleweight title unification fight in October 2022 at O2 Arena in London.
“We’re always open to do business,” Salita said. “And from our company’s point of view, we’ve shown we do business with everyone in the sport. That’s our motto. We certainly would welcome, down the road, an opportunity, if it makes sense, for Claressa to fight Savannah in a rematch. We’ve always been open about making the rematch with Savannah. One of the requirements was that it has to happen in the United States.”
The Ring first reported Tuesday that Marshall (13-1, 10 KOs), who owns The Ring and IBF super middleweight titles, will square off against Shadasia Green (15-1, 11 KOs), the WBO champ, in a 10-round, 168-pound championship unification fight July 11 in New York. Netflix will stream Marshall-Green as part of the Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano undercard from Madison Square Garden.
Two weeks later, Shields (16-0, 3 KOs) is set to defend her Ring, IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO heavyweight crowns against New Zealand’s Lani Daniels (11-2-2, 1 KO). DAZN will stream Shields-Daniels as a main event July 26 from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
Marshall’s fight against Green will mark her debut with Jake Paul’s MVP Promotions, which announced her signing Monday.
Marshall, 33, is the only opponent who has defeated Shields, 30, in an amateur or professional boxing match. Shields avenged that defeat 2½ years ago, but Marshall was the most competitive of her 16 pro opponents.
Marshall, a part-time mixed martial arts fighter, will end a two-year layoff from boxing when she faces Green. She has boxed only once since Shields defeated her.
Shields has won three bouts since she fended off Marshall in their fight for The Ring, IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO middleweight titles.
The Ring rates Shields No. 1 on its women’s pound-for-pound list. Marshall isn’t on that list due to her inactivity.
“Claressa has shown throughout her career that she will take the biggest fights against the best fighters,” Salita said. “Look at her resume. A perfect case in point is when she traveled thousands of miles from home to fight Savannah Marshall in London. That was the most-watched women’s sporting event ever on Sky [Sports], not just a boxing match. And now the timing is right for their rematch.
“Claressa’s movie [The Fire Inside] was just shown in movie theaters not just in the United States, but throughout the whole world. And obviously, Savannah Marshall is in that movie as her rival. So, that rematch makes a lot of sense. And certainly, [Marshall] fighting in the U.S. gives us the possibility to gain more interest.”
Boxer Shields Promises KO In Detroit Return, Explains Overturned Pot Suspension
DETOIT – Claressa Shields is returning to Detroit with a promise of fireworks. Shields, A Flint native and the top pound-for-pound fighter in women’s boxing, is returning to fight at Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit on July 26 against New Zealand fighter Lani Daniels. Shields will be putting her undisputed women’s heavyweight title on the line, which she won in February with a unanimous decision over Danielle Perkins in Flint.
“This will be one of my biggest fights yet,” Shields told the Free Press on May 9. “So you want to be there and I’m going to prepare to give you guys a spectacular knockout.”
Shields addresses overturned suspension
After her win over Daniels, Shields faced a suspension shortly after from the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission for a positive marijuana test.
She had a meeting with the commission in early March, where she presented another test with evidence she tested negative right after the fight, and the suspension order was dissolved on March 14.
“I guess it was three nanograms of marijuana in my system,” Shields said. “And hey, I’ve never smoked weed, I’ve never ate weed or anything. I definitely kept my innocence, defended my innocence.
“I had to go through a shorter term suspension by the Michigan commission until they did their research, got the facts, talked to me and go to trial and all this stuff. It was very stressful.”
Read the rest of this story at the Detroit Free Press.
“I Didn’t Have a Perfect Mother”: Claressa Shields Bares Her Emotions in Mother’s Day Confession
“From the time I was nine years old till I was like 15 or 16, I loved my mom, but I didn’t like her.” Mother’s Day is a time when many celebrate the women who raised them, and for Claressa Shields, it’s no different, though the day also brings reflection. Despite a rocky past with her mother, Marcella Adams, Shields uses the occasion to honor how far they’ve both come and the strength they’ve found in their journey together.
This past Mother’s Day was no different! Their relationship is a complex mix, which is marked by significant challenges, specifically during her childhood in Flint, Michigan, where Shields has become a celebrated hero. ‘T-Rex’ grew up in a turbulent environment, like so many others in this sport, but her conditions were made worse by Adams’ battle with alcoholism. It contributed to a dysfunctional family, leading to Claressa Shields acknowledging she ‘loved her mother, but didn’t like her.’
Shields has claimed she believed that Adams would sell food stamps given to her family for drugs, which made their financial situation even more difficult growing up. Abuse has also been part of her life as a mere child by people around her, which ended up resulting in her getting sent to live with her grandmother until age ten. This betrayal led to her feeling abandoned and angry, which she later channeled into her boxing career.
Despite the issues between them, Adams played a crucial role in supporting Shields’ early boxing career, without which the sport might never have seen Claressa Shields conquer boxing the way she has done. Adams bought her daughter padded gloves, found a local gym, and drove Shields to the gym every day. This fueled Shields’ path to becoming the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing in 2012.
However, the healing of their relationship truly began after Shields had a difficult conversation with her mother about the abuse she had suffered as a child. Encouraged by her coach, Jason Crutchfield, Shields finally opened up about the abuse she suffered at the hands of Adams’ own boyfriend at the time. This dialogue allowed Shields to express how the childhood trauma affected her feelings toward her mother. “That conversation we had made me love my mama.”
By 2016, their relationship had vastly improved!
Claressa Shields honors Marcella Adams as a warrior
In 2016, Claressa Shields returned to the Olympics for a second time and, just like before, brought home the gold, making history as the first American boxer, male or female, to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals. The relationship with her mother also seems to have improved by this time, as she provided significant financial support, including buying her mother a house and two cars, and helping with bills.
Shields even celebrated her mother’s birthday in 2021, writing, “Happy bday to my mama! … So grateful that God loves me enough to bless me with 26 years with my mother & going.” Despite their improving relationship, Shields’ rising fame and success have caused their relationship to remain complex, even though Claressa Shields herself has never explicitly pointed it out. Regardless, on the occasion of Mother’s Day recently, Shields expressed her feelings about her mother.
“I didn’t have a perfect mother but I had the mother that I needed 🥹! She is a true soldier,” Shields wrote while sharing a couple of pictures.
That said, Claressa Shields’ relationship with her mother has seen its ups and downs, but today, they have reconciled their bond to celebrate a day every mother looks forward to. What do you think about Shields and her mother’s journey?
Claressa Shields will defend her undisputed heavyweight championship against Lani Daniels
This will be “T-Rex’s” second fight of the year and promises to be an epic.
The two-time Olympic champion will defend for the first time her undisputed heavyweight championship, which she won earlier this year,
The event on July 26th of this year will.be at the Little Cesars Arena in Detroit.. Her opponent, Lani “Smiling Assassin” Daniels, a 36-year-old boxer from New Zealand.
It was this arena that saw Shields become WBC heavyweight world champion in 2024. On that occasion, she took the crown from Vanessa Lepage by knocking her out in the second round.
The champion has an undefeated record of 16 wins, 3 of them by KO.
Daniels holds a record of 11-2-2 with 1 KO.
DETROIT, Mich. (WJRT) – Claressa Shields (16-0, 3 KOs) is set to defend her Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship against Lani Daniels (11-2-2, 1 KO) on July 26 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
Shields tells ABC12 that she and her team initially pursued a rematch with Hanna Gabriels, but negotiations fell through due to disagreements over which weight they would fight at.
“We offered her the money. She liked the money. She didn’t like the weight class.” Shields explained.
Shields currently holds all four heavyweight belts. Gabriels declined the fight when Shields wouldn’t drop to 160 or 168 pounds so Shields turned her attention to Lani Daniels, who holds two belts at light heavyweight.
Shields is coming off of a unanimous decision victory against Danielle Perkins at the Dort Financial Center, one that made her the first boxer ever to become a unanimous world champion in three different weight classes.
“I had to be very, very careful but also be very rough with her to show her that, ‘You may be bigger, but I am who I am,'” Shields said.
Shields is looking forward to her upcoming fight against Daniels, promising another dominant display.
“I plan to give Lani Daniels even more hell on July 26th,” Shields said.
Fans interested in purchasing tickets can do so using this link.
Who Is Claressa Shields Dating? Everything to Know About the Undefeated Professional Boxer
Claressa Shields is one of the best in the professional boxing world. The female boxer is only 29 years old, yet has already left an indescribable mark on the sport. Shields won her last match against Danielle Perkins, becoming the first ever undisputed women’s heavyweight champion. The boxer recently had a movie release, showcasing her origin story. The movie, titled “The Fire Inside” starred Ryan Destiny and covered everything from her humble beginnings through her rise to basketball fame.
Here’s everything you should know about the professional boxer’s life outside the sport.
Is Claressa Shields in a Relationship?
Shields’s personal life is subject to intense scrutiny and curiosity. She recently opened up about her relationship with rapper Papoose.
The boxer and rapper’s connection became public in late 2024 amid Papoose’s separation from his estranged wife, Remy Ma. Despite the public scrutiny, Shields has expressed profound appreciation for Papoose’s unique support and understanding. She described their bond as transformative, highlighting how his encouragement differs from her past experiences. Shields emphasized that Papoose is not only her partner but also her best friend, with whom she shares deep conversations and mutual respect. Initially, she preferred to keep their relationship private to avoid external judgment, aiming to cherish their moments away from public scrutiny. However, following Remy Ma’s public disclosure of their relationship, Shields and Papoose have chosen to embrace their partnership openly. Papoose has been visibly supportive, accompanying Shields during significant events, including her historic title fight in Flint, Michigan, where she became the first boxer—male or female—to achieve undisputed status in three different weight divisions. Their relationship, though emerging from complex circumstances, appears to be a source of mutual support and affection, with both expressing happiness in their union.
Papoose and Remy Ma’s previous dates back to 2004. The two married in 2016 before welcoming two children, a daughter Reminisce Mackenzie and a son Jayson Scott. The influential hip hop couple announced their split in 2024, both Remy Ma and Papoose posting screenshots on their official Instagram accounts.
Does Claressa Shields Have Children?
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 15: Claressa Shields celebrates after victory in the IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO World Middleweight Title fight between Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall on the Shields vs Marshall Boxxer fight night which is the first women’s only boxing card in the UK at The O2 Arena on October 15, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by James Chance/Getty Images)
As of February 2025, Claressa Shields does not have biological children. In 2014, she attempted to adopt her cousin’s newborn daughter, Klaressa, and cared for her for eight months. However, Essentially Sports reports that due to legal challenges, she lost custody. This experience has influenced her views on motherhood, leading her to focus on inspiring young girls through her athletic achievements. In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Shields expressed, “I don’t want to have kids. I want to inspire young girls and give them hope.”
Early Life and Career
Born on March 17, 1995, in Flint, Michigan, Shields started boxing at 11. Her father, Clarence “Bo Bo” Shields, introduced her to the sport and was actually a former amateur fighter. Shields says that growing up in Flint wasn’t easy. In her adolescence, she tackled poverty, death and abuse. Boxing served as a creative outlet for her.
“You put in the hard work, you win. You slack off, you lose. So when I say boxing is the only thing that loved me back, I put in so much heart into boxing, and guess what I did? I won,” she said on the sports podcast “The Art of Ward.” “I keep winning because it loves me how I love it.”
By the time she was 17 years old, Shields was the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing. She trained for those 2012 Olympic Games under the leadership of Jason Crutchfield, who became a father figure in her life.
Claressa Shields’s Track Record
Since then, Shields has increasingly excelled in her professional boxing career. During the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, she won a gold medal. In 2019, Shields defeated Christina Hammer and made history, as the only boxer, male or female, to unify all four major boxing titles (the WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO) in a single weight class. As of today, her record stands at a 16-0.
What Is Claressa Shields’s Net Worth?
Although Shields solidified her status as one of the best female boxers in the history of the sport, the boxers’ estimated net worth is around $1 million. Throughout her career, she has used her success to shine a light on the pay disparity in women’s sports, especially in boxing. After her 2025 historic boxing match, she spoke about wanting more profitable endorsements.
“I think I want to keep fighting and let it set in at the very end because I haven’t gotten all my endorsements and all my sponsorships yet,” she told Fight Sports. “I have some, but it’s like I’m waiting to get that $20 million from Adidas or $30 million from Under Armour and Nike. I’m looking to get there, you know? I want to represent all these companies, so I have some work to do.”
The post Who Is Claressa Shields Dating? Everything to Know About the Undefeated Professional Boxer appeared first on 21Ninety.
Shields puts her undisputed heavyweight title on the line against Daniels, who looks to once again become champion
Claressa Shields has her next fight confirmed for July 26, when she faces Lani Daniels at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. The pair square off in a 10-round heavyweight bout with the undisputed crown on the line.
Unbeaten 30-year-old Shields (16-0, 3 KOs) of Flint, Michigan makes the first defense of her title. The two-time Olympic gold medalist became a three-division undisputed champion as a pro in February, defeating Danielle Perkins by unanimous decision.
“I am so excited to be defending my undisputed heavyweight world championship in Detroit at Little Caesars Arena,” Claressa Shields said. “My fights continue to get bigger and better. My opponent, Lani from New Zealand, is coming to bring all the smoke – or so she says. This fight will be a sellout of 19,000, so get your tickets and be there to witness herstory on July 26 with the GWOAT.”
Former two-division champion Daniels (11-2-2, 1 KO) of New Zealand looks to once again claim a world title at heavyweight. In her previous outing last September, the 36-year-old scored a unanimous decision against Bolatito Oluwole.
“To be the best, you have to fight the best. I te pō pouri rawa, ka ara te marama, ā, ka kitea te pono,” Lani Daniels said in her native Māori. “On the darkest nights the full moon will rise, and the truth will be revealed.”
The bouts featured on the Shields vs Daniels undercard are expected to be confirmed shortly.
Claressa Shields honors Marcella Adams as a warrior
In 2016, Claressa Shields returned to the Olympics for a second time and, just like before, brought home the gold, making history as the first American boxer, male or female, to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals. The relationship with her mother also seems to have improved by this time, as she provided significant financial support, including buying her mother a house and two cars, and helping with bills.
Shields even celebrated her mother’s birthday in 2021, writing, “Happy bday to my mama! … So grateful that God loves me enough to bless me with 26 years with my mother & going.” Despite their improving relationship, Shields’ rising fame and success have caused their relationship to remain complex, even though Claressa Shields herself has never explicitly pointed it out. Regardless, on the occasion of Mother’s Day recently, Shields expressed her feelings about her mother.
“I didn’t have a perfect mother but I had the mother that I needed 🥹! She is a true soldier,” Shields wrote while sharing a couple of pictures.
That said, Claressa Shields’ relationship with her mother has seen its ups and downs, but today, they have reconciled their bond to celebrate a day every mother looks forward to. What do you think about Shields and her mother’s journey?