The Claressa Shields Show is hitting the road.
Shields, the best women’s boxer of all-time, has scheduled her next fight, and it won’t be in her native Michigan. Shields, a Flint native, will fight Kaye Scott on Aug. 15 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, promoters announced Wednesday afternoon.
Shields will return to the middleweight division for the fight for her 19th fight as a professional. She’s 18-0 with three knockouts. It could be one of Shields’ last fights until she takes a break to start a family, a plan she first mentioned following her last fight.
“At this point in my career, every fight is about legacy,” Shields said in a statement. “Every fight now is about pushing the boundaries of what’s possible — for myself, for women’s boxing, and for the next generation.
“Kaye Scott is a champion, and I respect what she’s accomplished. But becoming undisputed at 160 pounds again starts with beating the best. That’s always been my mindset. I don’t chase easy fights, I choose meaningful ones.”
Shields, 31, will fight outside of Michigan for the first time since 2022. Her last five fights have been in Michigan, four of those being at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. Her last fight was Feb. 22 at LCA, where she beat longtime rival Franchon Crews-Dezurn by unanimous decision in a 10-round slugfest.
Scott, 42, of Australia, is 5-1-1. This is her first fight since December, when she beat Olivia Curry at the Fox Theatre in Detroit to win the vacated WBC and WBA middleweight championships. Curry also fought at the Fox in September against Curry. The two battled to a draw.
“I believe the bigger the challenge, the bigger the opportunity,” Scott said. “I have the chance to show the world exactly what I’m capable of. I’m in the best shape of my life and ready to test myself against the very best. I’m excited, motivated and prepared to step into that ring and prove that I am the best middleweight in the world.”
Shields is returning to the middleweight division for the first time since October 2022, when she beat Savannah Marshall by unanimous decision at The O2 Arena in London in a fight that is credited with accelerating the popularity in women’s boxing.
Shields owns championship belts in five divisions, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2025.
tpaul@detroitnews.com
@tonypaul1984
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Claressa Shields, the GWOAT, books next fight … it’s not in Michigan
Reporting by Tony Paul, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Tony Paul, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
