Pound-for-pound star Claressa Shields says a fight with Wales’ Lauren Price is now likely to take place in 2027.
The 31-year-old American is one of the sport’s most decorated fighters – a multi-weight undisputed world champion and reigning undisputed heavyweight champion.
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Price, 32, is the unified welterweight champion and, like Shields, is an Olympic gold medallist.
“When I look at Lauren fight, she’s very explosive. She’s fast. She got a lot of skill. I can’t wait to get in there and showcase my skills against her,” Shields told BBC Sport.
Shields will move down to middleweight to challenge Australia’s WBA and WBC world champion Kaye Scott on 15 August in Atlanta, Georgia.
“I think I will have this fight and I’d love to fight again at the end of the year at 160lb [middleweight],” she added.
“I thought it was going to Lauren, but I don’t know when Lauren is getting back in the ring. But I think me and her will fight in 2027 in the first quarter.”
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Shields faced off with Price after the Newport fighter’s points victory over Stephanie Pineiro in Cardiff in April.
Price’s promoter Ben Shalom later said a two-fight deal with Shields was agreed, but the Briton has not fought since and talk had quietened down.
Shields, however, is confident it will happen at middleweight and thinks Price – who would have to jump up two divisions from welterweight – will take a warm-up fight to get her “feet wet” at the new division.
Shields has remarkably only lost one fight in boxing – to Savannah Marshall as an amateur – but avenged her defeat against the Briton in the professional ranks at London’s O2 Arena in 2022.
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But the self-proclaimed ‘Greatest Woman of All Time’ thinks Price will be a tougher fight than Hartlepool’s Marshall.
“She’s an Olympic gold medallist and undefeated. For her to have the skillset at 5ft 7in or something and go to the Olympics at 165lb and win an Olympic medal… you have to have a hell of a lot of skill, a hell of a lot of power.”
Shields targeting more knockout wins
Despite going back down in weight, Shields is a heavy favourite against 41-year-old Scott, who has won five, lost one and drawn one as a pro.
“She has a great amateur background and she’s been fast-tracked to some world titles. I’m just going to go out there and show how great I am and see if she’s tough enough to withstand that,” Shields said.
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The Michigan fighter has been largely dominant in all her fights but says an area she is looking to improve on is her knockout record, with just three stoppages in 18 pro wins.
“I don’t think it has anything to do with my power. I hurt every girl I fight. I’m dropping girls. Beating their faces up,” the unbeaten Shields added.
“But am I just throwing the right shot at the right time to get a knockout? I know I have a lot of power.”
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