Claressa Shields claims ‘98% of men in the world can’t beat me’

Claressa Shields has likened her greatness to Muhammad Ali and maintains “98 per cent of men in the world can’t beat me”.

The American has a glittering resume with two Olympic gold medals at London and Rio, while also wasting no time in the professional game on her way to becoming the fastest two and three-weight world champion in terms of least amount of fights.

While referring to herself as the ‘GWOAT’ [Greatest Woman Of All Time], Shields is bidding to become a two-weight undisputed world champion when she fights Marie-Eve Dicaire on Friday for all the belts at super-welterweight and insists her achievements are under appreciated.

“I feel like people underestimate me when I speak about how great I am,” Shields said. “But if I didn’t say how great I am, no one in this room would have ever called me great because they don’t recognise it. Only the greats know that they’re great.

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“Like Muhammad Ali. Nobody called him the greatest of all time. They actually called him the ‘Louisville Lip’ because he talked too much.

“If he had never said he was the greatest of all time, he would have never been considered the greatest. No matter what boxer comes along, nobody can get in front of Muhammad Ali. That’s how I feel about myself.

“Muhammad Ali is first, and Claressa Shields is second. I am the greatest woman of all time, and 98 per cent of men in the world can’t beat me.

Shields told The Independent last month that she retains an ambition to become an MMA champion: “My goal is to be an MMA champion and boxing champion at the same time.

“Holly [Holm] showed me how to throw some of her famous kicks, she even compliments mine – we’ve done some kickboxing sparring together. She’s great to be inside the cage with and to be friends with, we have Sunday dinner and stuff, sit and talk and laugh.

“And Jonny ‘Bones’ is basically part of my team. I wouldn’t be shocked if he was to walk me out for my MMA debut or be in my corner. We spend so much time training together, sometimes the coaches stay on the side and let him put me through a three-hour training session. He’s so knowledgeable and focused, and he gives me a lot of confidence that I can be great. That a great is actually willing to work with me, that means a lot.”

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