Claressa Shields: Amanda Nunes ‘lit a fire in me’ to prove myself in MMA

Undisputed middleweight champion boxer Claressa Shields says ex-UFC champion Amanda Nunes “lit a fire” in her to prove she can succeed in MMA.

American Shields, 28, will compete in her third MMA bout when she takes on Kelsey De Santis in Saudi Arabia on 24 February.

Shields, who is contracted to the PFL, says 35-year-old Nunes had challenged her to an MMA fight.

“I wanted to fight Amanda Nunes in a boxing match,” said Shields.

“And when they asked her if she would fight me she said ‘tell Claressa Shields to come to my world and I’ll choke her’.

“When I heard her say that it really lit a fire in me.

“None of these girls are going to come over from MMA and fight me because they know I’d win hands down.

“But it would be a super challenge for me to go over to MMA so I just wanted to challenge myself.”

Shields was speaking at a news conference promoting her fight at the PFL Champions v Bellator Champions event in Riyadh next month.

The event is the first show featuring fighters from both rosters since the PFL acquired Bellator in a “transformative deal” in November.

Shields, who is undefeated in in 14 boxing fights, is a world champion across multiple weight classes and is fighting in both MMA and boxing.

She won on her MMA debut in June 2021, beating Brittney Elkin, before losing to Abigail Montes four months later.

She last competed against Maricela Cornejo in June, retaining her undisputed middleweight boxing title.

Brazil’s Nunes retired last year following a glittering MMA career which saw her become the UFC’s only two-time double champion.

Shields says she is taking “one fight at a time” but aims to mirror her boxing accomplishments in MMA.

“I just want to come back and show that boxers can do MMA and that I have the potential to be a PFL world champion one day,” said Shields.