Claressa Shields savage response as Alycia Baumgardner calls out all-time gre…
Claressa Shields has told Alycia Baumgardner she will fight – and beat – her at any weight class after being called out by the undisputed super featherweight world champion. Shields, the self-titled “GWOAT” or “Greatest woman of all time”, ruthlessly warned her fellow American she would make light work of her if they are to meet in the centre of the ring.
Baumgardner is suspended after returning an adverse finding for mesterolone in a drugs test on the night of her unanimous decision win in defense of her titles against Christina Linardatou in July, although she has protested her innocence and claimed in November independent testing has proved she did not take any performance-enhancing substances.
The situation has not stopped her from plotting her next moves, calling out undisputed middleweight queen Shields in an Instagram live video. “I say yes, I will fight Claressa Shields and 147, make the fight,” Baumgardner said. “I know what y’ll thinking, ‘Oh, she’s too small, she’s too big’. I don’t care about none (sic) of that, size does not matter to me baby. It’s the skills, baby.
“Claressa has been who I wanted to fight. I came up to her at the gym and I said ‘Why don’t you and I put on a fight?’ and she said ‘You too small, A.B.’ Claressa, you don’t have to worry about the size, girl. Let’s make the fight happen.”
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A fight between Baumgardner, 29, and Shields was not on anyone’s radar until the former put the two-time Olympic champion on blast on social media. Not only have the pair been friends over the course of their careers, but they are also separated by six weight classes. And Shields was supportive of Baumgardner in the aftermath of her positive drugs test.
But Ohio-born Baumgardner wants Michigan native Shields to meet her halfway and fight in the 147-pound welterweight class. Shields, 28, has been campaigning at 160 pounds for the past 18 months, but she has told Baumgardner in no uncertain terms she will defeat her no matter the weight class.
“I’d 100 per cent fight @alyciambaum at 147 or 154 or 160 or 168 long as it’s a belt or multiple belts on the line. You know I’m not hard to make a fight with,” Shields posted on X.
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“And last time I checked, I always told people I wouldn’t fight Baumgardner cause (sic) we cool as hell, and I feel that same way bout Mikaela (Mayer). I’d never fight Mikaela, she’s my Olympic sister. I’m just tryna (sic) figure out when did @alyciambaum decide she wanted to fight me?
“Well hey, you think you can dethrone the GWOAT? Start your 147 plan and I’ll start mine. And if we fight just know… I didn’t want to do it. But you made me.”
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