Claressa Shields will step into the cage for the second time next month, when she takes on Abigail Montes as part of this year’s PFL Championship card.
It’s another key step in the development of Shields (1-0) in MMA, the rare pro boxer trying to make the transition the other way. Shields remains a multi-time, multi-weight champion in boxing (not to mention a two-time Olympic gold medalist).
Just don’t ask about her boxing on a Jake Paul undercard. That’s a topic that came up during Wednesday’s PFL 2021 World Championship Press conference, and an idea that Shields, who is 11-0 as a pro boxer, immediately shot down.
“Don’t ever disrespect me. I would never fight on the undercard of Jake Paul,” Shields exclaimed. “I’m a three-time division world champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist in boxing.”
Shields didn’t stop there. The original question had drawn comparisons to Amanda Serrano, another world class pro boxer who has made the switch to MMA. Serrano recently competed in boxing on the Paul vs. Woodley Triller Fight Club card.
“I would never fight on the undercard of Jake Paul, and I don’t know what Amanda Serrano’s purse was, I think it was $75,000, $100,000 — I would never fight another boxing match for that much money, because I’m worth so much more. I’m a million dollar fighter,” Shields replied. “Before I get on the undercard of a guy having a circus show— no disrespect to Tyron Woodley, no disrespect to Jake Paul, but I’m a real boxer. I could beat up Jake Paul at the weight class I’m at right now.”
“So no, I would never fight on the undercard of somebody who does not possess the skills or the accomplishments that I have.”
You can check out today’s full PFL World Championship 2021 press conference below. The 2021 Championship card takes place on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL.
