Undefeated boxing superstar Claressa Shields has officially retired from mixed martial arts after a brief three-fight venture into the sport.
Shields, who holds a perfect 16-0 record in boxing and is often referred to as `the greatest woman of all time` in the sport, made the surprising crossover to MMA in 2021. Her MMA journey included a TKO victory in her debut, followed by a split-decision loss. Her final bout in February 2024 saw her win by decision against Kelsey DeSantis, concluding her MMA record at 2 wins and 1 loss.
Explaining her decision to step away, the two-time Olympic boxing gold medalist revealed that MMA proved “too hard.” Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Shields stated she doesn`t have sufficient time to train at the high level required for mixed martial arts, particularly alongside her demanding boxing career.
“MMA is done, sweetheart,” Shields confirmed. “It was fun, but I don’t have enough time to train for it. It takes eight months just to get ready to defend takedowns. I got a lot better and put in the time, I broke my arm twice. It was fun, and I enjoyed every fight I did.”
She added that her family never supported her MMA pursuits, which she undertook primarily to prove a point. Shields emphasized the significant time investment needed for MMA training, noting that reaching a championship level would require consistent dedication for at least three to four years – a commitment she cannot make.
Although she previously aspired to become a PFL champion and potentially face fighters like Kayla Harrison or Larissa Pacheco, Shields concluded that these dreams were not feasible due to the time constraints. “I’m already great in boxing, and to be great like that in MMA, I would have to train consistently for at least three to four years,” she reiterated. “I did really good in MMA. It was fun, but it was too hard.”
What`s Next for Claressa Shields?
With her MMA career concluded, Claressa Shields is fully returning her focus to boxing. She is scheduled to fight IBF light-heavyweight titleholder Lani Daniels on July 26 at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
Shields recently became the undisputed heavyweight champion in boxing following a unanimous decision victory over Danielle Perkins in February. She will be putting those newly acquired titles, as well as her undefeated record, on the line against Daniels.