Claressa Shields stops Kaye Scott to reclaim WBC and WBA middleweight belts
Claressa Shields reclaimed the WBC and WBA middleweight titles with a sixth-round stoppage of Kaye Scott in Atlanta and is now expected to face Britain’s Lauren Price; the American star’s promoter believes the Welsh fighter should travel to the US for the potential showdown
Sunday 16 August 2026 08:12, UK
Claressa Shields stopped Kaye Scott in the sixth round to reclaim the WBC and WBA middleweight belts in Atlanta.
Shields had moved down from heavyweight to middleweight for the bout and in the process, became a middleweight world champion for a third time.
The fight was under Shields' control throughout, with the crucial moments coming in the sixth round when the 42-year-old Scott was dropped before being subjected to a barrage of punches against the ropes.
- Craig Richards returns on Johnny Fisher bill at Copper Box
- Stevie McKenna 'locked in' on Callum Walsh clash
- Boxing in 2026: Key dates, results and upcoming schedule
- Get Sky Sports or stream boxing and more with no contract
The onslaught continued, prompting Scott's corner to throw multiple towels into the ring, bringing an end to the contest after one minute and 38 seconds of the sixth round.
With the victory, Shields moves to 19-0, with the self-proclaimed GWOAT - meaning Greatest Woman of All Time - strengthening her claim to being the world's No. 1 female fighter, particularly with Katie Taylor set to retire next month
"It was a hard camp," Shields said. "I always tell myself that everything is easy work, but it was a really hard camp.
"I cut 38 pounds. I started 14 weeks ago at 198 and got down to 160. It was the most disciplined I've been since the Olympics, I feel like.
"She was stronger than I thought. She was very strong. I knew that, with the amount of weight I'd cut, I didn't want to exert too much energy early.
"I was trying to make sure I could deal with her strength and not get caught with anything crazy, because I'm not as strong as I feel at 175."
Lauren Price is now Shields' preferred opponent at 160lbs, with the American saying she wants the fight to take place between December and January.
It is a fight that Price has welcomed, but the American star's promoter, Dmitriy Salita, believes the "mega" event "belongs in the United States".
"Claressa came down to middleweight to make the biggest fights possible," Salita told Sky Sports.
"We want to make this a mega-event, and I believe that fight belongs in the United States.
"That being said, we love the UK, and another fight there is certainly not out of the question. It's an incredible time for women's boxing."
