Claressa Shields

Claressa Shields, born on March 17, 1995, is a remarkable American professional boxer and former mixed martial artist. With an impressive career, she has secured eighteen major world championships across five weight classes. Notably, she claimed the undisputed female light middleweight title in March 2021 and has held the undisputed female middleweight title twice between 2019 and 2024. Additionally, she captured the WBC and IBF female super middleweight titles from 2017 to 2018, the WBO female light heavyweight title from 2024 to 2025, and the undisputed female heavyweight title since February 2025.

Shields has made history by becoming a two, three, four, and five division world champion in the fewest professional fights. As of August 12, 2025, she is recognized as the world's best active female light heavyweight by BoxRec and is also ranked as the best active female boxer, pound for pound, by ESPN and The Ring. Her achievements include being the only female boxer to hold all four major world titles—WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO—in three weight classes.

In her illustrious career, Shields has been honored as the Female Fighter of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America in both 2018 and 2022. In July 2024, ESPN acknowledged her as the best female boxer of the 21st century. Her decorated amateur career includes winning gold medals in the women's middleweight division at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, making her the first American boxer to achieve consecutive Olympic medals.

Shields began her journey as the youngest boxer at the February 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials, where she triumphed in the 165 lb (75 kg) middleweight division. She qualified for the 2012 Games, the inaugural year for women's boxing as an Olympic event, and became the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing. In addition to her boxing accolades, she also competed as a professional mixed martial artist in the Professional Fighters League.