Boxing star Claressa Shields has signed a multi-year deal to continue competing for the Professional Fighters League (PFL), extending her mixed martial arts (MMA) career where she aims to become the first athlete to hold championships in both boxing and MMA simultaneously.
Boxing superstar Claressa Shields has announced her decision to extend her contract with the Professional Fighters League (PFL). This new multi-year agreement entails her continued participation in the league. Shields, who is 28 years old, has a mixed record of 1-1 in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) held under the PFL. Her latest bout against Abigail Montes in October 2021 concluded with a split decision loss. This significant news was originally reported by ESPN.
Throughout her career, Shields has persistently been a dominating presence in boxing. Her accomplishments include being the first boxer to achieve undisputed status in two separate weight categories at the same time. Currently, she is the reigning champion of the WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF titles in both the middleweight and light middleweight divisions. She possesses a remarkable record, having won belts at super middleweight, along with gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games.
In a press release regarding her continued involvement with the PFL, Shields stated, “I am excited to return to a fighter-first organization, and I can’t wait to return to The PFL SmartCage. My goal remains unchanged; I will be the first athlete to hold championships in both boxing and MMA simultaneously. I have grown so much since my first MMA fight and cannot wait to put my skills on display.” The specifics of the deal remain undisclosed, but it is noted that Shields aims to compete for the PFL in 2024. In her most recent fight in June, Shields scored a unanimous decision victory over Maricela Cornejo, thereby marking her 14th straight professional win and successful defense of her middleweight titles.