Claressa Shields Announces Retirement from MMA

During a recent television appearance, women’s boxing champion Claressa Shields declared her official retirement from mixed martial arts (MMA), citing both injuries and significant time constraints as the primary reasons behind her choice.

Shields, a distinguished two-time Olympic gold medalist and undisputed boxing champion, initially ventured into MMA in 2021 with the Professional Fighters League (PFL). She verified her departure from the sport during the broadcast.

With world titles achieved across five different weight divisions, Shields is considered a pioneer in boxing. Her transition into MMA was motivated by a desire to challenge herself in a different combat discipline.

However, Shields acknowledged that the rigorous training demands, in addition to suffering two arm fractures throughout her MMA tenure, ultimately influenced her decision to step away from the sport.

“MMA is over for me. It was enjoyable, but I don’t have the necessary time to dedicate to training for it,” Shields stated. “Preparing adequately for takedown defense requires approximately six to eight months. Despite significant improvements and dedicated time, I unfortunately broke my arm twice.”

Shields mentioned that her family expressed concerns regarding her MMA career. Nevertheless, she pursued it to underscore her adaptability as a fighter.

“My family was never in favor of me doing it. I engaged in it because I wanted to demonstrate something—and I believe I successfully did so,” she remarked.

Despite her exit from MMA, Shields had previously entertained the idea of major matchups, including potential bouts against prominent PFL fighters such as Kayla Harrison and Larissa Pacheco.

“I once harbored aspirations of becoming a PFL MMA world champion, potentially facing Kayla Harrison or Larissa Pacheco. These were dreams I held,” she admitted. “However, I have already achieved greatness in boxing, and replicating that level of success in MMA would necessitate at least three to four years of consistent training.”