By: Hans Themistode
It’s always frowned upon when a person brags and boast about themselves.
Let everyone else speak of your greatness while you remain humble.
Not everyone believes in this way of thinking. Boxers such as Floyd Mayweather Jr and Muhammad Ali spent the majority of their careers telling any and everyone who would listen that they are the very best.
A number of boxers have soon followed suit. Claiming that they are the next best thing but have often fallen short of their lofty claims. It isn’t easy to gloat of your talent while backing it up each and every time.
One fighter who has recently followed in the footsteps of those with overwhelming confidence has decided to take things to another level.
Claressa Shields has just officially entered her name in the record books. This past Friday night on January 10th, at Ocean Resort Casino, in Atlantic City, Shields made it look easy in defeating former champion Ivana Habazin via unanimous decision. In the process of picking up the win, Shields brung home the vacant WBC and WBO Jr Middleweight world titles.
The newly won gold that currently occupies the space around Shields waist, also came with the distinction of becoming the fastest fighter regardless of gender to win world titles in three different weight divisions.
The accomplishments of Shields seem almost spurious. Three division world champion in only ten fights, 77 wins in the amateurs against only a single defeat and two Olympic gold medals.
Thanks to her many achievements, Shields has been given the crown by most as the greatest female boxer of all-time, and certainly the best of this generation. Although the achievements of Shields are constantly celebrated, her aforementioned crown as the best female boxer in the world is often times taken off and replaced with a black hat.
In the sport of women’s boxing, the fighters are great, but they conduct themselves in a humble manner. Not Shields. She is a firm student of the Muhammad Ali and Floyd Mayweather Jr school of trash talking. Much like her two predecessors, she backs up every word that she says.
“I think Ivana cant take a piece of humble pie and go back to Croatia,” said Shields during her post fight press conference against Ivana Habazin. “Hopefully on her next try she will become a world champion against somebody else but like I said I am the great woman of all time cause she couldn’t do nothing with me. Zero.”
Shields has the look and feel of a once in a lifetime sort of fighter, but she still has a long list of competitors in front of her. Elio Cederroos and most notably Cecilia Braekhus lead the charge in terms of women who would be best suited to take her own next.
For now, Shields will not only enjoy this victory but she will also continue to let the world know with both her fighting ability in the ring and her mouth outside of it, just how great she truly is.