Claressa Shields may be welcomed into boxing’s Hall of Fame with open arms, but she still won’t be allowed into events promoted by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions.
Paul’s company announced the ban on Monday night after Shields’ altercation with the MVP-promoted Alycia Baumgardner during MVP and Netflix’s inaugural foray into MMA with Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano this past Saturday in Inglewood, California.
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A statement read:
“Most Valuable Promotions is aware of the incident during MVP’s Rousey vs. Carano event on Saturday night involving physical contact by Claressa Shields toward Alycia Baumgardner.
“MVP maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy for hostile, threatening, or aggressive behavior toward fighters, staff, media, or guests at any of our events. Physical altercations outside the ring or cage are unacceptable in any MVP environment. MVP does not condone, tolerate, or accept Claressa Shields’ behavior in that setting and it reflects poorly on MVP and women’s sports, which we have worked tirelessly to uplift.
“Effective immediately, Claressa Shields is banned from all MVP events until further notice. There is a time and a place for fighter tension and banter, but to physically attack a fellow athlete while there as a guest inside a private VIP area is unacceptable.
“MVP would like to thank venue security for their swift response in addressing and de-escalating the situation and appreciate Alycia Baumgardner not retaliating and further amplifying the situation. We remain committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and professional environment for all participants and attendees at our events and will continue to enforce these standards without exception.”
Footage of the incident appeared to show Shields, Uncrowned’s No. 1 pound-for-pound women’s boxer, striking Baumgardner, Uncrowned’s No. 6 boxer, after a heated argument.
The pair had to be kept apart by event security.
In her own statement, Baumgardner said that Shields’ conduct was “unprovoked and entirely consistent with the individual involved,” also stating that the “situation has been and will continue to be handled legally and professionally.”
It is not the first time that Shields and Baumgardner have clashed when meeting face-to-face.
In 2024, during the Richardson Hitchins vs. Gustavo Lemos event in Las Vegas, the duo were embroiled in a heated argument centered around their rivalry and a potential future fight. On that occasion, Shields also became physical, shoving Baumgardner’s hand down to no response.
While Baumgardner is boxing’s current unified 130-pound champion, Shields’ most recent fight against Franchon Crews-Dezurn was contested at 175 pounds. The substantial weight difference between them should theoretically make the chances of any fight highly unlikely.
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Shields, however, has claimed she could drop down to 147 pounds to fight Baumgardner, a weight class that Baumgardner has said she would be willing to jump up to.
While Baumgardner, like most of the top talent in women’s boxing, is signed with MVP, Shields is represented by Dmitry Salita’s Salita Promotions. MVP does have a history of working with other promoters, namely with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom, to make a trio of bouts between their charge, Amanda Serrano, and Matchroom’s Katie Taylor.
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