{"id":302618,"date":"2023-12-16T23:39:15","date_gmt":"2023-12-16T23:39:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=302618"},"modified":"2023-12-16T23:39:15","modified_gmt":"2023-12-16T23:39:15","slug":"claressa-shields-savage-response-as-alycia-baumgardner-calls-out-all-time-gre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/boxing\/claressa-shields-savage-response-as-alycia-baumgardner-calls-out-all-time-gre\/","title":{"rendered":"Claressa Shields savage response as Alycia Baumgardner calls out all-time gre…"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Claressa Shields has told Alycia Baumgardner she will fight \u2013 and beat \u2013 her at any weight class after being called out by the undisputed super featherweight world champion. Shields, the self-titled \u201cGWOAT\u201d or \u201cGreatest woman of all time\u201d, ruthlessly warned her fellow American she would make light work of her if they are to meet in the centre of the ring.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The situation has not stopped her from plotting her next moves, calling out undisputed middleweight queen Shields in an Instagram live video. \u201cI say yes, I will fight Claressa Shields and 147, make the fight,\u201d Baumgardner said. \u201cI know what y\u2019ll thinking, \u2018Oh, she\u2019s too small, she\u2019s too big\u2019. I don\u2019t care about none (sic) of that, size does not matter to me baby. It\u2019s the skills, baby.<\/p>\n

\u201cClaressa has been who I wanted to fight. I came up to her at the gym and I said \u2018Why don\u2019t you and I put on a fight?\u2019 and she said \u2018You too small, A.B.\u2019 Claressa, you don\u2019t have to worry about the size, girl. Let\u2019s make the fight happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0Follow us on X<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0for the best and latest in sports news<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

A fight between Baumgardner, 29, and Shields was not on anyone\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d 100 per cent fight @alyciambaum at 147 or 154 or 160 or 168 long as it\u2019s a belt or multiple belts on the line. You know I\u2019m not hard to make a fight with,\u201d Shields posted on X.<\/p>\n