Atlanta, Ga. — Two-time Olympic champion and undisputed heavyweight champion Claressa Shields and unified middleweight champion Kaye Scott arrived at State Farm Arena on June 30 ahead of their Aug. 15 matchup.
Scott walked out first with both of her belts hanging from each arm and was introduced with a round of applause before the room erupted with cheers as Shields raised her arm to the crowd, beckoning for them to get louder as she entered the stage with her belt dangling from her shoulder.
As both women’s accomplishments were highlighted, along with opening statements and thank-you speeches from Zeus CEO Lemuel Plummer, boxing promoter Dmitriy Salita, Wynn Records CEO Ruben Branson, rapper and Shields’ boyfriend Papoose, Archibong Firm co-founder Miriam L. Archibong and Mark Taffet Media head Mark Taffet, the importance of hosting the event in Atlanta was emphasized by multiple speakers.
“Great cities don’t wait for history; they create it. The world is already watching Atlanta, and I cannot wait to see how Atlanta shows the world what happens when greatness meets greatness,” Archibong said.
The fight will also be historic, as Shields will become the first female boxer to headline State Farm Arena.
So, why Atlanta?
“Why not Atlanta is the question, I think,” Shields answered. “And to be the first woman to headline here is just making more history. I’ve been making history my whole life, but to be able to come here to Atlanta shows that I’ve grown so much and started where I can leave Detroit. Sometimes we can’t leave home, so I get to leave Detroit and come here and fight in front of y’all, and hopefully I get big enough here to where I can go to New York.”
Shields announced the matchup on social media on June 24, and since then, 20% of tickets have already been sold, with more continuing to be purchased as the fight draws nearer.
Coming off her February victory over Franchón Crews-Dezurn, one aspect that makes this matchup so significant is that the last time Shields competed in the middleweight division was in 2023, when she claimed the undisputed 160-pound title.
With four consecutive heavyweight fights under her belt, Shields is required to drop three weight classes to return to middleweight.
“I’m 31, so losing weight is not as easy as it used to be,” Shields said. “But, like I said, with consistency and discipline, I will get there, and I’ll be 159 point something come August 14 [the day before the matchup].”
Shields made sure to give her smiling opponent her flowers, saying Scott has a slight advantage because she’s already comfortable in the middleweight division. That, however, won’t stop Shields from trying to continue her legacy by reclaiming a title in the division against the Australian native.
“Kaye Scott looks very strong and fit right now. I’ll look just as strong and fit come August 15th,” Shields said. “And I look forward to sharing the ring with her; she’s not an easy task. She’s not a person that wants to lose…I didn’t foresee us fighting in the future. I didn’t think she would say yes to the fight, but she said yes to the fight and I’m happy that she did that.”
Scott started her professional career the same year Shields last competed in the middleweight division. She wanted to make one thing clear, however: not only should her seven professional road fights be considered, but also her 120 amateur bouts and nearly two decades of dedication to the sport.
When she received the call to face Shields, she told MTMV there was no hesitation.
“I want to test myself against the best, that’s what it’s about. I don’t want to take the easiest fights,” Scott said. “Such a big opportunity that I just locked down, and now it’s all happening.”
Scott also explained that, beyond her strong self-belief, the observations she’s made about Shields’ previous opponents could work to her advantage.
“I think a lot of Claressa’s past opponents have always kind of put her up on a pedestal of being this amazing person and almost been too much in awe of her that they’ve haven’t been able to bring out their best game come to fight time,” Scott said. “I do recognize and respect absolutely everything that she’s done, but I think also because I was around her and in training camps in the amateurs and kind of worked and trained alongside her that I don’t have the same pedestal type thing…I’m going to bring my best and I know that anything is possible with that.”
Shields agreed with Scott’s self-belief but said, for her, it goes beyond that.
Turning toward Scott, she explained that although she respects her opponent and supports her journey, she confidently believes she won’t be outboxed, even predicting how Scott’s strategy would unfold.
“I think her game plan is going to be to come forward with those big, broad shoulders and those big, strong legs, and she’s going to try to land one of the meanest and strongest shots that she can land, and then that’s what you want to see. I think that’s what she’s going to do,” Shields said.
“Just know that skill overrides everything. I can be tired and have skill, I can be weak and have skill, I can be strong in the first round and have skill. I’mma use my brain first. If I thought about strength all the time, I would have more than three knockouts. So it’s like losing the weight, whether I’m weak or whether I’m strong. They gotta understand I. know .how. to. win.”
Shields wants everyone to know there’s a diamond-and-sheer dress code for the ladies in attendance, but she will ditch the makeup, hair and heels — along with nearly 20 pounds — to put Scott to the test while maintaining the mindset of a champion.
“I beat whoever they say can beat me,” Shields said. “They say a girl can beat me, so I try to make the fight happen. It’s very simple; that’s what champions do.”
