American laid out her historic plan in exclusive chat to SunSport
CLARESSA SHIELDS is not shy of boasting about being the greatest women’s boxer of all time – but now she wants to go a step further.
Shields has an almost unmatched CV in the sport, with double Olympic gold medals, two undisputed titles and belts in three different divisions to her name.
But the outspoken American looked to better her legacy even further by crossing over to MMA in 2021 with the Professional Fighters League.
Shields, unbeaten in boxing, is 1-1 in MMA but insisted she did not swap the boxing ring for the cage just to experiment.
Instead, she wants to become a two-sport world champion as she sets her sights on the PFL title and the history that comes with it.
She told SunSport: “That’s the ultimate goal. Manifestation is real, I believe in two or three years I will be fighting for the PFL world championship.
“I’ll still be a boxing world champion and the same time. So the goal is to be boxing world champion and be PFL champion at the same time.
“And after that, I’d probably wash my hands with MMA but that’s the bigger goal.”
Shields won her MMA debut by beating Brittney Elkin but she then suffered defeat for the first time since her amateur boxing days against Abigail Montes.
She has not returned to the cage since, instead picking up a trio of boxing wins, including against arch rival Savannah Marshall.
But now Shields has her eyes on the PFL’s season, where stars fight in qualifying and knockout stages over four bouts to win the title and $1m cash prize.
But more than just the money, Shields believes actively holding titles in both sports – which would be a historic first – cements her place as the best to ever do it.
She said: “Well, I’m already the greatest woman of all time in boxing, we know that.
“But to be able to come over to a whole different sport in the prime of my career and win, when I’m able to win the PFL world championship, I think that ranks me as the greatest combat sports person ever.
“And not even woman. I don’t know any champion who can do what I’m doing right now.
“So I believe in three years when I actually get in the PFL tournament and I fight for the PFL world championship, when I win that rates me as the greatest combat sports person in history.”
Shields makes her MMA return on Saturday in Riyadh against Kelsey DeSantis on the PFL vs Bellator undercard.
