Claressa Shields is back down at middleweight for the first time in three years as she takes on unified champion Kaye Scott.
Shields (18-0, 3 KOs) is a five-weight world champion and undisputed in three of those divisions. She cleaned out the heavyweight division by defeating Danielle Perkins in February last year.
The 31-year-old successfully defended those belts against Lani Daniels and Franchon Crews-Dezurn but drops back down three divisions to the weight class where she truly made her name as a two-time undisputed champion.
“The decision to come down to 160 was one where I didn’t have to do it because I make the same money fighting at 175, at heavyweight, but I did it for the fans to make the best fight,” Shields told DAZN.
“I let my fans and my team know that I was not going to any weight class that wasn’t lower than where I was at unless there were belts on the line.
“So Kaye Scott was ready for the challenge and put her belts up, and she wanted the opportunity, so I told her I’ll come down to 160.”
Despite her limited professional career, 42-year-old Scott (5-1-1) boasts extensive amateur experience and is a two-time world championship silver medalist.
She won the vacant WBA and WBC middleweight titles at the second time of asking, winning a majority decision in a December 2025 rematch against Olivia Curry after their initial meeting ended as a majority draw. Her only professional loss came in another rematch against fellow Australian Desley Robinson for the then-vacant IBF crown in December 2024.
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Claressa Shields vs. Kaye Scott prediction: Who will win?
Throughout her career, it has been hard for Shields to find anyone to share a ring who is remotely in her class. It’s part of the reason that her self-applied GWOAT (Greatest Woman of All Time) label is disputed in some quarters.
Katie Taylor had to gain revenge over Chantelle Cameron and had her epic trilogy against Amanda Serrano to burnish her pound-for-pound No. 1 claims. Perhaps Shields is greater because she has never struggled. All 15 of her professional wins have been via unanimous decision. But struggle and overcoming it is a key ingredient for all of the greats.
If you squint, you can find some on Shields’ pro record. She got up from a first-round knockdown against Hanna Gabriels in a June 2018 battle for the WBA and IBF middleweight titles. She then lost probably three rounds by most accounts against former amateur rival Savannah Marshall in their blockbuster undisputed showdown at 160 pounds in October 2022.
And that’s it. Shutouts are Shields’ stock in trade. There’s little reason, looking at their respective amateur and professional pedigrees, to expect anything different at Georgia’s State Farm Arena this weekend.
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But perhaps the drop down in weight is about finding that struggle. Even though Shields was within the light-heavyweight limit of 175 pounds when she campaigned at heavyweight, it’s still a significant amount to trim down for a fighter on the other side of 30.
Boxing is littered with examples of fighters who move up and then back down in weight, only to find themselves badly diminished. Roy Jones Jr. is probably the most famous example. An all-time great, thanks to his reigns at middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight, Jones stepped up to dethrone WBA heavyweight champion John Ruiz in March 2003.
He dropped back down to his division as a superstar but squeaked past Antonio Tarver with a majority decision, was shockingly knocked out in their rematch and KO’d by IBF champion Glen Johnson four months later.
It’s almost implausible that Shields will suffer anything as dramatic, but fans and rivals alike will be on the lookout for a chink in her hitherto impenetrable armour.
SN prediction: Shields via UD 10
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Claressa Shields vs. Kaye Scott undercard
Here’s a breakdown of all the action on the Shields vs. Scott main card, where there is more women’s world title action and some rising stars of the men’s code.
Ernesto Mercado vs. Emmanuel Tagoe
- Division/Weight: Super lightweight
- Mercado record: 19-0
- Tagoe record: 34-2-0
- Belts at stake: WBO International
Mercado has been considered one of the brightest rising stars in the sport for some time and made short work of Juan Carlos Burgos in June, scoring a second-round KO, an 18th career win inside the distance.
The quick turnaround is welcome, as inactivity was an issue for ‘Tito’ during 2025. Experienced Ghanaian Tagoe will hopefully provide Mercado with a tougher test and some all-important rounds. His 2022 defeat to Ryan Garcia remains his only loss, although Tagoe spent more than two years out of the ring after that loss and his two subsequent wins have come in modest company.
Troy Isley vs. Joseph Hicks
- Division/Weight: Middleweight
- Isley record: 16-0
- Hicks record: 12-1
Former U.S. Olympian Isley takes a step up in class in his second outing under new coach and former super lightweight and welterweight world champion Lamont Peterson.
The new partnership debuted two months ago when Isley put away Spain’s Leonardo Di Stefano in five, just his sixth stoppage in 16 wins.
Hicks lost his unbeaten record when he dropped a split decision to Haiti’s Wendy Toussaint last June and got back in the win column with a six-round shake out in February.
Caroline Veyre vs. Bernice Ferreira
- Division/Weight: Super featherweight
- Veyre record: 11-1
- Ferreira record: 10-0
- Belts at stake: WBC
Veyre makes the first defence of the WBC she won with a unanimous decision win over veteran great Delfine Persoon in February.
The undefeated Ferreira brings the more lightly regarded IBO belt to the table, which she collected at Ellen Simwaka’s expense last time out. This will be the first time in Ferreira’s professional career that she has boxed outside of her native South Africa.
Danielle Perkins vs. Olivia Curry
- Division/Weight: Light heavyweight
- Perkins record: 6-1
- Curry record: 7-3-2
- Belts at stake: WBA
Two boxers who have shared the ring with the main event fighters.
Perkins was dropped in the final round as she lost a wide decision against Shields last February, while Curry is drawn one, lost one across here two close fights with Scott and would love to set up a trilogy.
Perkins’ power could be the decisive factor in this one. The 43-year-old collected the WBA title with a brutal stoppage of Che Kenneally in Detroit in February.
Da’Velle Smith vs. Hakim Lopez
- Division/Weight: Super middleweight
- Smith record: 14-0
- Lopez record: 17-1
Detroit prospect Smith is back in action in a scheduled eight-rounder against the once-beaten Lopez
With nine KOs in his unblemished record, Smith is one to watch and has designs on the top of the 168 lbs division.
Where to watch Claressa Shields vs. Kaye Scott
Shields vs. Scott will be available to stream exclusively on DAZN.
A DAZN monthly subscription is $24.99 on a 12-month contract or $34.99 month-to-month. The annual subscription is $249.99.
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