Undefeated boxing champion Claressa Shields, often regarded as one of the greatest female fighters of all time, has formally announced her withdrawal from mixed martial arts after participating in three bouts.
Shields, boasting a flawless 16-0 boxing record and confidently declaring herself `the greatest woman of all time,` ventured into the world of MMA in 2021. Her foray included a technical knockout victory in her debut, followed by a loss via split decision. In her final MMA appearance in February 2024, she secured a win against Kelsey DeSantis, concluding her mixed martial arts journey with a 2-1 record.
Shields Explains Retirement from MMA
The 30-year-old athlete revealed on Monday in an interview with Ariel Helwani that the demanding nature of MMA, coupled with the substantial time commitment required for elite-level training, were the deciding factors for her retirement from the sport.
“MMA is done, sweetheart. It was fun, but I don’t have enough time to train for it. It takes eight months just to get ready to defend takedowns. I got a lot better and put in the time, I broke my arm twice. It was fun, and I enjoyed every fight I did.”
“My family never wanted me to do it. I did it because I wanted to prove a point, and I proved that point.”
“It takes a lot of time to train for MMA, time that I don’t have. I did have aspirations of being a PFL MMA world champion and have a fight with Kayla Harrison or Larissa Pacheco one day. I did have those dreams and aspirations, but I just don’t have enough time.”
“I’m already great in boxing, and to be great like that in MMA, I would have to train consistently for at least three to four years. I did really good in MMA. It was fun, but it was too hard.”
Shields highlighted that achieving the same level of mastery in MMA as she possesses in boxing would necessitate dedicated and prolonged training, a commitment she feels she cannot currently fulfill. She also mentioned sustaining two arm fractures during her participation in the sport as a significant challenge.
What Awaits Claressa Shields?
With her mixed martial arts endeavors concluded, Shields is now fully concentrating on her boxing career. Her upcoming match is scheduled for July 26, where she will defend her undisputed light-heavyweight titles against IBF champion Lani Daniels. This highly anticipated bout will take place at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Shields most recently added the undisputed heavyweight titles to her collection with a unanimous decision victory over Danielle Perkins in February, maintaining her perfect professional boxing record.
