Claressa Shields remains confident that despite a gender and size gap, she would be able to beat Jake Paul.
The legendary two-time Olympic champion is just 29-years-old, but has already accomplished more than most fighters would in a lifetime. She has been undisputed champion at multiple weights, and was this Christmas the subject of a new biopic The Fire Inside.
During promotion for the film, Shields has been speaking with a number of media outlets about what her future plans are in the ring. And one fight that has emerged is a potential intergender meeting with controversial YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.
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Claressa Shields backs herself to beat Jake Paul despite size difference
Given her clear dominance to this point, there is often a question asked in boxing circles about how Claressa Shields would fare against male boxers. And one opponent who regularly emerges in these discussions is Jake Paul.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer had never put on gloves when Shields was winning Olympic gold for a second time. But he has now become one of the sport’s biggest stars, even with a limited skillset and resumé.
Shields reckons that even with the gender differences and a whopping size gap of over 50lb between their last weigh-ins that she could win that fight. Speaking with Overtime Boxing, she explained: “I would beat him in a fight, and you know that.
“Yeah, absolutely [I would beat him in ten-ounce gloves and no headgear]. I’m a big woman. The biggest and strongest man doesn’t win all the fights. So what’s the difference here? I’ve been boxing for 18 years. 18.
“I’ve got you, he’s got a d*ck, I’ve got a vagina. I get it. But what about the skills I have? That doesn’t matter? He’s got to be able to break me down, and he has to be able to hit me.
“I’ve got to be able to break him down, and I’ve got to be able to hit him. It’s certain things that I can do, that he doesn’t even know yet.”
Claressa Shields wants crossover super-fight with Cris Cyborg
A more realistic potential fight for Shields would be a crossover bout with the legendary MMA fighter Cris Cyborg. The pair are similar weights and have sparred before, and with Shields’ experience in the PFL there could be a mixed ruleset put together.
“She wants the clout,” Shields told the Pound 4 Pound podcast, before insisting that she dominated their sparring session. “That’s what Cris Cyborg wants and when we sparred, I kicked her a** easy. And then her little boyfriend Ray.
“When I whooped her a**, he walks up to me, he’s like, ‘Oh my God, it just feels so good to see Cris get humbled. She beats up guys in the gym… All the women. It just felt so good to see her get humbled’. It makes me think that she whooped his a**.”
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