"Claressa is on a mission to be a dominant force in MMA. She will fight again in an MMA bout before the end of summer," promoter Dmitriy Salita confirms that American star is not yet ready to return to boxing
Wednesday 23 June 2021 11:09, UK
Claressa Shields will continue her MMA career this summer as America's female boxing star makes British rival Savannah Marshall wait for a world title showdown.
The three-weight world champion made her debut in the Professional Fighters League this month, stopping Brittney Elkin in the third round, and Shields has agreed to resume her MMA career.
A revenge fight against Marshall, who defeated Shields in the amateur ranks, had been discussed but her promoter Dmitriy Salita revealed the 26-year-old's future plans.
"Claressa is on a mission to be a dominant force in MMA," Salita told Sky Sports. "She will fight again in an MMA bout before the end of the summer.
"There has never been a boxer who in the peak of their career did MMA, it's unprecedented. There has also never been a boxer who escaped an arm bar and a choke hold from a grappler in an MMA bout. Claressa did it and won by a stoppage.
"The support she has received is incredible. She keeps pushing the envelope to raise woman's sports to new heights of equality.
"Muhammad Ali is not only known as the GOAT because of what he did inside the ring but also and maybe even more importantly for the fight he fought outside the ring.
"In that regard there are lots of similarities - and there is much more to come."
Marshall had issued a fresh challenge to Shields after defending her WBO middleweight title with a third-round knockout of Maria Lindberg in April.
"I wanted that fight to happen this year," Marshall recently told Sky Sports. "Looks like it's probably not going to happen this year, which I'm gutted about. It is what it is.
"I'm being told, probably early next year. I can't wait about for her. I wanted her after Hannah Rankin and then she decided to go and do MMA.
"I could wait about until early next year and she'll probably say she's going to play tennis or football. You never know with her."
Shields insists the Marshall fight will only happen when she receives a suitable offer for a clash between two undefeated world champions.
"I would love to fight Marshall but it's a business," Shields told Sky Sports last month.
"I'm not going to take less money [for her benefit]. I'm not going to go backwards. That's not my problem.
"I am a three-weight world champion and a two-weight undisputed champion so I will be paid as such or I will continue to make money in MMA or fight somebody else."
