Claressa Shields is getting back to work. And this time, she’s taking the show on the road.
Shields, the undisputed heavyweight champion and universally accepted as women’s boxing’s GWOAT, will look to stay perfect as a professional when she fights unified World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association champion Kaye Scott on Saturday night at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
“I’m in peak form right now — I feel like I could push a truck,” Shields, 31, said Thursday ahead of Friday’s final weigh-in ahead of the fight. “It’s not even about whether she’s weak or strong.
“I’m feeling stronger than ever.”
Shields moved down from heavyweight to middleweight to challenge Scott for her titles.
With an 18-0 record and three knockouts as a pro, the Flint native last defended her undisputed heavyweight title in February when she beat Franchon Crews-Dezurn by unanimous decision Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
Saturday’s fight will be Shields’ first outside of Michigan since 2022. Four of her last five fights have been at LCA.
Scott, 42, said that she is being underestimated because of her light resume, with just seven professional fights. The Australian, who earned her titles in December over Olivia Curry by majority decision at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, sports a 5-1-1 record.
“I’m going to prove on Saturday night I deserve to share the ring with the GWOAT. I earned that,” Scott said. “I know I’m in for a tough battle, but I’ve never been one to give up or quit. This is what I’ve trained for and I’m ready.”
Said Shields, who was a 2025 inductee into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame: “I know Kaye’s tough and she believes in herself, which is exactly what she needs to bring to a fight like this. I respect her confidence, but once we step inside that ring and those heavy shots start landing, the whole dynamic changes and it’s a completely different story.”
Saturday’s fight will cap off a week of hoopla in Atlanta, where a women’s boxing card is headlining an event at State Farm Arena for the first time.
Saturday has been proclaimed “Claressa Shields Day” in the City of Atlanta and Fulton County. Shields has become a supporter of the Atlanta community, recently launching a local initiative called “In Her Corner” that acknowledges Atlanta’s leaders who embody resilience, excellence and service, particularly women.
Fight Night in Atlanta
CLARESSA SHIELDS VS. KAYE SCOTT
➤ When: Saturday
➤ Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta
➤ Records: Claressa Shields is 18-0 (three knockouts); Kaye Scott is 5-1-1
➤ At stake: WBC and WBA middleweight championship belts
➤ Streaming: DAZN; broadcast starts at 8 p.m., Shields fight starts after 11:30 p.m.
amarable@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: The ‘GWOAT,’ Claressa Shields, gets back in the ring Saturday night
Reporting by Alauna Marable , The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Alauna Marable , The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
