Shields Sets Sights on Price in US and UK Showdowns

Claressa Shields is gearing up for highly anticipated bouts against Lauren Price in both the US and the UK, as the two Olympic champions prepare to face off for the first time later this year. Following Price's hard-won victory over Stephanie Pineiro in Cardiff, the unified welterweight champion and Shields, a five-weight world champion, engaged in a post-fight confrontation, hinting at a middleweight clash before the end of 2026. Shields expressed her eagerness to fight Price, noting that the Welsh athlete is willing to move up to 160lbs and even open to competing in the US. Shields' promoter, Dmitriy Salita, described the American boxer as a 'truly special, generational talent' and highlighted her desire to make the biggest and best fights to propel the sport and women's boxing forward. Salita also revealed that discussions with Price's team have been positive and a fight in the US is likely to happen this year, with a potential future bout in the UK not being ruled out. Shields, who claimed Olympic gold in 2012 and 2016, believes a match-up with Price, the 2020 Olympic champion, would be particularly significant and is confident of emerging victorious, stating that she will 'make easy work' of Price and another potential opponent, Mikaela Mayer.