Claressa Shields Proposes Boxing, MMA Crossover Fights With Amanda Nunes

Women's world middleweight champion Claressa Shields is ready to take on UFC titleholder Amanda Nunes.

Women's world middleweight champion Claressa Shields is ready to meet Amanda Nunes in the ring.

While speaking to Sporting News, Shields challenged Nunes, UFC's women's bantamweight and featherweight champion, to take her on in the boxing ring. Shields even suggested a second crossover event that would pit her against Nunes in the Octagon.

"We could do a boxing match and then I'd go over there," Shields said. "We could do a two-fight deal."

"I feel like she's a great in her sport. I'm the GWOAT [Greatest Woman of All Time] in my sport. Us just being competitive athletes, you always want to know, like, who's the baddest? Who's the best? It's definitely something that could absolutely happen."

Shields also said that a meeting between her and Nunes would be better than Conor McGregor's bout with Floyd Mayweather in 2017. 

"I think McGregor is a great MMA fighter, but he was all talk. Amanda Nunes is not all talk," she said. "He got tired and he got knocked out, but it's really hard to prepare for a 12-round fight and I don't think he took it serious. Amanda Nunes will take it 100% serious because of who I am and what I've accomplished and I would do the same thing for her, so I definitely think it will be a better fight."

Shields (9–0, 2 KOs) won the middleweight crown in April by unanimous decision over Christiana Hammer. Her manager, Mark Taffet, said she is expected to fight again in October. Some speculate Nunes (18–4) will have a rematch with Cris Cyborg later this year.

When asked about a possible fight date with Nunes, Shields suggested late 2020 or early 2021 could be best.

"I have to give myself the proper preparation. I'm not going to underestimate her. I don't underestimate anybody," she said. "As much as I respect my sport, I respect her sport also in that to be the best, you got to train real hard. You have to put in a lot of hours."