Claressa Shields warns Keith Thurman 'tread lightly' as inter-gender fight looms

23 August 2023 , 19:31

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Claressa Shields warns Keith Thurman 'tread lightly' as inter-gender fight looms

Claressa Shields has once again goaded former world champion Keith Thurman after the pair verbally agreed to an unprecedented battle of the sexes boxing match.

Thurman, who was a unified welterweight world champion before being knocked out by Manny Pacquiao, has called for a bout with Shields, who is a current multiple-weight undefeated world champion. His jibes have been reminiscent of Bobby Riggs against Billy Jean King in their famous 1973 tennis match, with his rival clearly interested in the bout.

Shields, who also competes under the PFL banner in MMA, has dismissed his tongue-in-cheek suggestions that she could wear headgear and smaller gloves while he donned bigger ones. In fact, she has warned him to "tread lightly" as the pair continue discussions over the potential charity showcase.

"A fight I'm actually interested in is Larissa Pacheco in the PFL," Shields joked when asked about the Thurman bout by Mirror Fighting in New York yesterday. "That's somebody I'm really interested in, I don't know what it is with these men they have huge ego problems, not just in boxing but in general in life.

"Keith said he could beat me with one hand and he could wear bigger gloves and I could wear headgear? I'm like 'dude, stop'. The guy walks around at 154lb, you're not that good of a boxer, you're not a world champ, just tread lightly because I will get in there and I will fight him with both hands."

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However, Shields feels that Thurman, who has fought just once in the four years since he lost his title to Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas, is not serious about the fight. She has shared a potential fight poster on social media, but claims that he has gone silent when contracts and money were mentioned.

Claressa Shields is one of the greatest boxers on the planet (Getty Images)

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"He said he wanted to do it for charity but who knows?" Shields continued. "All these guys talk but when you throw the contracts at them and they get to mentioning money, these guys zip it."

A more likely outcome for Shields' future is a rematch with Savannah Marshall, with whom she faced off inside of the PFL Smart Cage yesterday at Madison Square Garden. She is keen to flow between boxing and MMA, with promotional CEO Peter Murray telling Mirror Fighting that a cage fight between the two is touted for 2025.

PFL returns to the Theatre in Madison Square Garden tonight live on DAZN with the lightweight and welterweight playoffs. UK Viewers can tune in from 11pm.

Donagh Corby