Claressa Shields and Alycia Baumgardner are not buying and selling insults like rival champions making an attempt to promote a battle. The feud has now spilled into bodily confrontation, attainable police involvement, and an indefinite ban critical sufficient to push your entire scenario properly past boxing.
What started as one other social media conflict between two of ladies’s boxing’s greatest names exploded publicly throughout MVP’s inaugural MMA occasion over the weekend after Shields admitted slapping Baumgardner throughout a backstage confrontation.
The fallout escalated shortly, with Baumgardner showing to reference police involvement on social media, releasing a public assertion in opposition to Shields, and Most Invaluable Promotions banning the undisputed heavyweight champion from all future occasions till additional discover.
Claressa Shields slap
Video circulating on-line appeared to indicate a heated altercation between the pair earlier than Shields struck Baumgardner in the course of the alternate.
Shields later overtly admitted slapping her rival and claimed Baumgardner had threatened her beforehand.
“Imma proceed giving bitches hell, respectfully. That lil ass lady mentioned ‘I’ll beat your ass proper now’ after already disrespecting me,” Shields posted.
“Now you elegant and enjoying sufferer. Can’t go round threatening folks, take that [slap] and attempt to get your lick again!”
As criticism intensified on-line, Shields doubled down once more.
“I didn’t sneak anyone. I used to be proper there in her face,” Shields wrote in one other put up.
Stories surrounding the incident additionally alleged Baumgardner in contrast Shields to James Brown shortly earlier than the confrontation turned bodily, though neither fighter has publicly confirmed that model of occasions.
The rivalry had already develop into considered one of ladies’s boxing’s ugliest public feuds lengthy earlier than issues lastly spilled too far backstage in Los Angeles.
Alycia Baumgardner assertion
Baumgardner later launched a prolonged assertion accusing Shields of a repeated sample of “hostility, chaos, and attention-seeking conduct.”
“When your function is to raise, there’ll all the time be individuals who try to tug you right down to the extent from which they function,” Baumgardner said.
“Whereas attending Most Invaluable Promotions’ inaugural MMA occasion as a visitor, I used to be bodily assaulted with out provocation.
“This conduct displays a repeated sample of hostility, chaos, and attention-seeking conduct that continues to embarrass ladies’s sports activities.”
Baumgardner added the matter would proceed being dealt with “legally and professionally.”
The unified champion additionally posted footage showing to indicate herself talking with police following the incident, fueling hypothesis the altercation might now carry authorized penalties.
MVP ban
MVP later launched its personal assertion confirming Shields had been banned indefinitely from all future firm occasions.
“Efficient instantly, Claressa Shields is banned from all MVP occasions till additional discover,” the promotion introduced.
“There’s a time and a spot for fighter rigidity and banter, however to bodily assault a fellow athlete whereas there as a visitor inside a personal VIP space is unacceptable.”
The promotion additionally thanked venue safety for shortly de-escalating the scenario and praised Baumgardner for not retaliating additional in the course of the incident.
Shields vs Baumgardner
For boxing, the unusual half is that the dangerous blood now feels greater than the precise battle itself.
Baumgardner final competed at 129 kilos defending her tremendous featherweight titles, whereas Shields is now combating as a heavyweight after campaigning round 174 kilos in current outings.
That leaves greater than 40 kilos separating the pair earlier than negotiations even start.
The rivalry retains getting greater exterior the ring whereas the battle itself retains wanting much less sensible.
What as soon as regarded like considered one of ladies’s boxing’s greatest attainable superfights now looks like one thing utterly completely different.
A slap. Doable police involvement. An indefinite ban.
And nonetheless no battle.
Concerning the Writer
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing Information (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of expertise. He has interviewed world champions, damaged worldwide exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Learn full bio.
