Claressa Shields Writes Off Alycia Baumgardner as Scared
In what has become an on-going rivalry, undisputed middleweight champion Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (14-0, 2 KO’s) had another run-in with undisputed junior lightweight champion Alycia “The Bomb” Baumgardner (15-1, 7 KO’s). The two have verbally collided over social media and in person on a plane. On this occasion, T-Rex was working as an on-air commentator for the DAZN production of the Richardson Hitchins versus Gustavo Lemos card.
Having had her fill of Baumgardner, Shields briefly abandoned her post to go give The Bomb a piece of her mind. Following a short spell of spirited bickering, T-Rex resumed professional duties with the broadcast. Clearly, the two-time Olympic gold medalist continued to feel some way about the encounter as she would vent further on via social media.
A WELL TREAD ROAD
To be honest, these two have traded barbs and threats so frequently that it’s begun to lose some meaning. The largest hurdle preventing this duel is the notion of weight class. Baumgardner is the 130-pound champion while Shields is thirty pounds north as a 160-pound middleweight champion. The Bomb has always petitioned for a showdown to be staged at 147-pounds which is essentially in the middle. Rather than play ball, Shields has routinely rejected this idea.
RELATED: Shields To Baumgardner: “Who You Telling To Sign The Contract?”
If the two managed to find enough common ground to pen a fight, it would make for an interesting scrap. Shields is just returning to the sport having staged another MMA fight. In her last boxing match with Maricela Cornejo, on June 3, 2023, T-Rex picked up her most recent dominant unanimous decision.
For her part, Baumgardner is just officially clearing the stains off of her name following a failed PED’s test. The flagged drug test came to light in the aftermath of her battle against Christina Linardatou on July 15, 2023. Before putting that situation to bed, Baumgardner would then have her name run through the mud by four division champion Adrien Broner.
SO WHAT’S IT GOING TO BE?!
While the frequency of their squabbles have dampened the flavor of the clashes themselves, the fight itself is still worthwhile. So let’s hope that these two ladies get on the same page. Or perhaps, maybe some Saudi money might be tossed in the equation to make it worth everyone’s while.
In the end though, as always, we’ll have to wait and see what the business brokers of boxing’s backroom deals come up with next. Stay tuned to 3Kings Boxing to see if Shields vs Baumgardner makes its way from fantasy to reality.
