Claressa Shields (born 1995) is a professional boxer from the United States. She has held multiple world championships in middleweight and super middleweight. The became the undisputed female middleweight champion in April 2019, after previously holding the unified WBC and IBF super middleweight titles from 2017 to 2018.

Shields has held all four major world titles in boxing, i.e. WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF, simultaneously – a very rare feat.

Before Shields turned pro in 2016, she was a successful amateur boxer who took home two Olympic gold medals, two Wold Championship gold medals, and one Pan American Games gold medal. She was the first United States boxer (male or female) to win gold in two consecutive olympics.

In 2018, Shields was named Female Fighter of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America. That same year, she was inducted into the USA Boxing Alumni Association’s Hall of Fame. Sheilds also holds a Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Sports Biggest Powerhouse Award from 2017.

In 2015, a documentary about Shields named “T-Rex: Her Figth for Gold” was released.

Short facts about Claressa Shields

• Name: Claressa Ameria Shields
• Nickname: T-Rex
• Born: 17 March, 1995, in Flint, Michigan, USA
• Nationality: USA
• Height: 173 cm
• Reach: 173 cm
• Weight class: Previously Middleweight, currently Super middleweight
• Boxing stance: Orthodox
• Professional boxing record (as of May 201): 9 fights, 9 wins (including 2 wins by knock-out)

Before going pro

Shields started boxing at Berston Field House in Flint, Michigan when she was 11 years old.

She won two Junior Olympic championship golds, before taking her first open-division gold medal in middleweight the National Police Athletic League Championships in 2011.

Amateur boxing

Amateur boxing record: 78 fights, 77 wins (including 19 wins by knock-out), 1 loss

• Gold medal in middleweight at the 2012 Olympic games in London, defeating Russia’s Nadezda Torlopova with 19-12 in the final
• Gold medal in middleweight at the 2014 World Championships in Jeju, South Korea
• Gold medal in light heavyweight at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto
• Gold medal in middleweight at the 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, defeating Nouchka Fontijn from the Netherlands in the final
• Gold medal in middleweight at the 2016 Wold Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan

Shields is the first United States boxer (male or female) to win gold at two consecutive Olympics.

Professional boxing career

Shields started her professional boxing career in late 2016. At the time of writing, Shields has fought in nine fights and won all of them, including two knock-out wins.

Against Franchon Crews

Her first match was against Franchon Crews, and Shields won by unanimous decision.

Against Szilvia Szabados

In March 2017, Shields fought Szilvia Szabados and won, which earned her the middleweight title from the North American Boxing Federation.

This fight + a regional title fight were the Main Event fights on ShoBox (on the premium television network Showtime). It was the first time ShoBox elected a women’s boxing fight to be a part of the Main Event.

Against Sydney LeBlanc

Shields did her first scheduled eight-round fight in June 2017, against Sydney LeBlanc, as a part of the Detroit Brawl event. All eight rounds were fought and Shields were awarded the victory by decision.

Against Nikki Alder (WBC and IBF title fight)

In August 2017, Shields returned to the ring in Detroit to fight Nikki Adler for the WBC super-middleweight title and the vacant IBF super-middleweight title. The fight, which was shown on Showtime, was won by Shields.

Against Tori Nelson (WBC, IBF and WBAN fight)

For the first time in her professional career, Shields went all ten rounds. Her opponent was Tori Nelson, who challenged Shields for the WBC and IBF titles. Shields won the fight, which ment keeping her two titles and earning the WBAN super middleweight title. The score was 17-0.

Against Hanna Gabriels (WBA and IBF fight)

Shields won a fight against Hanna Gabriels in June 2018, which earned her the vacant WBA and IBF middleweight titles. (She had lost weight from 168 lbs to 160 lbs for the fight.)

During the very first round, Shields was knocked down – her first knock-down ever as a professional boxer. She recouperated and came back strong, eventually winning the fight by unanimous decision.

Against Christina Hammer (WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO and The Ring fight)

On April 13, 2019, Shields defeated Christina Hammer (by unanimous decision). Two judges scored it 98-91 while a third one scored it 98-92.

The victory meant that Shields became the undisputed women’s middleweight World Champion and unified the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring titles.