Claressa Shields may be actively adding lines to her resumé, but that won’t stop her home state from recognizing her legendary career thus far.
Shields, a native of Flint, will reportedly be inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. The reigning heavyweight champion will be inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame alongside two-time Stanley Cup Champion Chris Chelios, legendary Michigan State Spartans Football Coach Mark Dantonio, NBA Champion Rasheed Wallace, and former Detroit Tigers General Manager Dave Dombrowski. Journalist John Lowe will also be recognized after spending nearly 30 years covering the Tigers for the Detroit Free Press.
Shields is arguably the greatest women’s boxer of all time. She is the only U.S. Olympic boxer, male, female, or non-binary, to win two gold medals. After winning her second gold medal in 2016, the Flint native began her pro career in Las Vegas, Nevada, on November 9, 2026. In her pro debut, she outpointed Franchón Crews-Dezurn, who currently holds two world titles in the super middleweight division. The two-time Olympian became a unified middleweight champion after four fights and the division’s undisputed champion after nine fights. Nearing the tenth anniversary of her pro debut, Shields stands alone as the only boxer of any gender to have become an undisputed champion in three different weight classes.
On Saturday, July 26, 2025, Shields will look to add to her legacy as she steps into the ring with Lani Daniels to defend her undisputed heavyweight championship.
