Before she became a target for Remy Ma, Claressa Shields made history as an Olympian. Winning multiple USA Boxing National Championships and being a two-time Olympic gold medalist, Claressa Shields is definitely a legend in the world of boxing. Here’s her story.
Shields Before Boxing
Born and raised in Flint, Michigan, Shields started out with a rough childhood. Her mother abused alcohol, her father was temporarily in jail, and Shields had a speech impediment. Additionally, she was sexually abused, had to care for her younger siblings, was bullied in school, so it was not easy for her growing up. However, according to BBC Sport, Shields said that being in this position forced her to be independent and learn to fend for herself.
While Shields was a victim of bullying, according to BBC Sport, after a girl pulled her hair one too many times in school, she punched her in the face. She got in trouble, but she claims it still felt liberating. People mostly stopped messing with her after that, but she said she’d just fight and overpower those who did bother her.
The Start of a Dream
According to Team USA, Claressa started boxing after her father mentioned Laila Ali to her at age 11. Her father initially disagreed with the idea of her fighting, saying that boxing was a men’s sport and that she was too pretty to box. However, according to BBC Sport, after bringing up the thought to her stepmother and step-siblings, they all disagreed. Due to them outnumbering her father. Her father quickly caved and paid for her training.
Her Success
Soon after, she competed and won multiple tournaments. She attended the 2012 Olympics in London for the first time. According to BBC Sport, the commentators said the odds were stacked against her. Despite this, she came in confidently and won her first Olympic gold medal at 17 years-old.
Following the Olympics, she won the 2013 USA Boxing Youth National Championship and the 2014 and 2015 USA Boxing National Championships. It was said that no American boxer had ever won a gold medal twice in a row. Despite this, Shields came back with confidence.
having worked hard for four years between Olympic games, she was ready to defend her title. She came in calm and collected, and remained calm and collected throughout the fight. By the end of it, she had successfully kept her title and was awarded her second Olympic gold medal.
So yes, while her beef with Remy Ma is hot right now, it is important to note that she is and will always be a legend in boxing. Claressa Shields is a diligent worker with amazing determination, and her name will go down in history.
Most recently, Shields became the subject of a major feature film titled, The Fire Inside. Written by Barry Jenkins, directed by Rachel Morrison, and starring Ryan Destiny, Brian Tyree Henry, the biopic was released on Christmas Day 2024.
Synopsis:
The Fire Inside is the inspirational true story of Claressa Shields, arguably the greatest female boxer of all time. Claressa, a high school Junior from Flint, Michigan, aided by her tough-love coach, Jason Crutchfield, pushes past all limitations to become the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing. But even at the pinnacle of success, Claressa has to reckon with the fact that not all dreams are created equal, and the real fight has only just begun.
Main Image Credit: Dominik Magdziak / Stringer | Getty Images
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