Claressa Shields targets gold in both boxing and MMA: “Being PFL world champion is my next goal. MMA seems harder.”

US-born boxing great Claressa Shields is looking to make history by becoming a two-sport world champion between MMA and boxing. Shields has already put together incredible accolades in the boxing world including two Olympic gold medals, she holds the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBF, WBO, and The Ring middleweight titles, plus, sports a perfect 13-0 unbeaten record. The 27-year-old athlete made her MMA debut in PFL MMA in 2021 and has since gone 1-1 professionally.

Claressa Shields explained recently in an interview, that she has conquered boxing and is ready to move on to MMA. Speaking to DAZN, she said:

“I feel like my legacy in boxing is really cemented, which it already was, but now it’s really cemented. I want to be boxing champion and PFL world champion at the same time.”

Claressa Shields switching her focus to MMA

Since she has become an all-time great in boxing, the multi-organizational world champion wants to her switch her focus to MMA full-time. Claressa Shields continued:

“Being PFL world champion is my next goal. MMA seems harder (than boxing). I just want to keep making history and prove everybody wrong who doubted me. I’ve been doing MMA for a year and a half but I’ve only been able to train for MMA for maybe six to nine months. I haven’t been able to really train. I’m trying to get a schedule for where I’m training for MMA year round.”

Last night at PFL 10 2022, Larissa Pacheco upset and defeated the undefeated two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison. Brazil’s Pacheco said she want to defeat another Olympian in MMA. In her post-fight interview, the PFL world champion said:

“It’d be awesome. To beat a boxer would be amazing. I beat an Olympic (boxing) champion. Let’s make it two.”