Claressa Shields: “I am unbeatable”

In her own words, Claressa Shields says a rude awakening awaits Savannah Marshall this weekend (Interview: Roy Kelly)

IF SAVANNAH MARSHALL thinks she is going to walk all over me, she’s in for the shock of her life.

I’m going to break her. I can’t believe she underestimates my power and calls me pillow fists, so when I land she’s going to be like, ‘wow’.

She’s going to be distraught by how much power I have, she’s going to be very upset at all the rounds she’s losing. She won’t know what to do, I’ll break her mentally.

She thinks she’s going to walk over me, but when she sees how competitive it is, she’ll break. I can get her out of there, seven, eight, nine or 10.

She has disrespected me on line and her fans have trolled me. When she’s been face-to-face with me I’ve been expecting her to bring the heat but no, she’s a fan of me, she likes me and we’re cool. No the f**k we’re not. 

I want her to have the same energy she has on line to my face. She doesn’t, she’s intimidated by me. She’s realised she’s bitten off more than she can chew. Of course, she’s going to come out and try to fight – we’re fighting in front of 20,000 fans on the biggest stage for women’s boxing, we’re in her country so she’d better show up and fight.

First, she said she’d knock me out in two rounds but she’s backed away from that and now says she’ll hurt me and outbox me. She knows she doesn’t possess the tools to knock me out.

I think she now realises I have a whole lot of skills and punching power. She’s not going to be able to hurt me, she doesn’t punch hard enough.

People make a big deal of my record, saying, ‘Oh, it was 10 rounds, Claressa, you didn’t knock her out,’ but a win is a win. And when I win it’s unanimous, not a majority or split, I’m dominant.

These coaches just let their girls take a beating. Ema Kozin took a beating, it wasn’t even competitive. After the sixth round when we still had four rounds left, her coach should have known. In six, seven and eight when I was hurting her and had her stumbling, he didn’t care enough to throw in the towel. She took a beating and I was happy to give it to her.

I’m happy to be in the UK. You guys respect the Olympic gold medals and the world titles I’ve won. I told the promoters this fight is bigger than Newcastle and bigger than Savannah Marshall and they agreed – 20,000 fans at the O2 will be a special, historic occasion with all the belts on the line. I can’t wait to be the undisputed world champion for the third time.

I’m here to prove I’m the best and I’d be happy to beat Marshall in America too. But after I beat her on Saturday there ain’t going to be a re-match, she won’t want it.

It’s in the contract, yes, but it was in the contract with Christina Hammer, but she didn’t come back and neither will Marshall. 

What still drives me on when I’ve won everything? When girls say they can beat me or say ’Shields can’t do this’ or ‘can’t do that’ or claim they can knock me out.

I wouldn’t describe myself as invincible. Unbeatable for sure against all these girls, especially Marshall.