Claressa Shields, boxing’s undisputed female heavyweight champion, has been banned from all events promoted by Most Valuable Promotions after an altercation this past weekend with fighter Alycia Baumgardner.
In a private VIP area at MVP’s inaugural event Saturday at Inglewood, California, Shields and Baumgardner exchanged verbal insults before video shows Shields reaching out and striking Baumgardner.
“MVP does not condone, tolerate, or accept Claressa Shields’ behavior in that setting and it reflects poorly on MVP and women’s sports, which we have worked tirelessly to uplift,” MVP said in a statement. “Effective immediately, Claressa Shields is banned from all MVP events until further notice.
“There is a time and a place for fighter tension and banter, but to physically attack a fellow athlete while there as a guest inside a private VIP area is unacceptable.”
Shields, 31, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist who has held world titles at five different weight classes. The Flint native is the only female boxer to hold titles with the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO in three different weight classes.
Baumgardner, who has defended her titles twice since signing with MVP, is the current WBO and IBF super featherweight champion. She previously held the WBC and IBO super featherweight titles. The 32-year-old was born in Detroit and grew up in Ohio.
“This behavior reflects a repeated pattern of hostility, chaos and attention-seeking conduct that continues to embarrass women’s sports,” Baumgardner said about Shields in a statement posted to X. “This situation has been and will continue to be handled legally and professionally.”
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Claressa Shields banned from MVP events after Alycia Baumgardner altercation
Reporting by Field Level Media / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
