Claressa Shields took a chance and competed in MMA in 2021.
Shields fought twice for the Professional Fighters League, going 1-1.
But now she is ready to return to her roots. And that means the boxing ring.
Shields will defend her WBC, WBA and IBF middleweight titles against Ema Kozin on Saturday, February 5. The bout will serve as the co-main event in the United Kingdom.
The headline fight features Chris Eubank Jr. and Liam Williams.
For Shields, this is where she makes her case once again as the greatest of all-time.
“The boxing world has forgotten who the best female fighter is since I’ve been doing MMA. The other girls like Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor have been showcasing some great skills, but I’m planning to showcase even better skills in my fight February 5,” Shields said. “I hope Savannah Marshall shows up at the fight. She can jump up in the ring after I win and talk some stuff. But talking doesn’t win fights, training does. She’s going to see a great performance and I’m going to prove that I haven’t been running from her. We’ve been chasing her.
“I’m looking forward to coming back and showcasing my skills. In my last fight, I was coming off over a year layoff and I didn’t perform how I wanted to. When I watch back the film, I wasn’t sharp. I didn’t have the speed and the timing that I normally have.
“I feel like I have to dominate in every fight. Not only am I in her territory, but I have the mentality that everyone wants me to lose. That’s why I go out and smash these girls and make them hold on for dear life.”
Shields is 11-0 in her pro career, scoring a pair of knockouts. She has been in title fights since her second bout in 2017.
