CLARESSA SHIELDS insists she would “whoop Jake Paul’s ass” if she were ever to step inside the ring with the YouTuber.
Paul made headlines last month with a sensational KO victory over former NBA star Nate Robinson on the undercard of Mike Tyson’s exhibition fight with Roy Jones Jr.
Jake Paul brutally knocked out Nate Robinson last monthCredit: USA TODAY Sports
The 23-year-old has called out a number of stars in the combat sports world following his viral KO, most notably former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor.
TMZ put the prospect of a mixed-gender showdown with Paul to Shields earlier this week. And the three-weight world champion emphatically dismissed the rookie’s chances of getting the better of her.
The 25-year-old said: “I, Claressa Shields, will whoop Jake Paul’s ass.
“He can come in the ring weighing 180lb and I will come weighing 168 and I will beat the s**t out of him.”
Shields respects Paul for immersing himself in the sweet science but has warned the brash upstart to forget about competing against the sport’s elite.
She added: “Jake Paul is making his money, he’s doing his thing, but stay away from us real fighters.
“And anybody out there that say ‘Oh, Jake Paul will destroy her because she’s a woman’… I’m the greatest woman!
“So, no, Jake Paul won’t do nothing with me and if he think he can, he can come see me.
“I’ve been boxing for 14 years, two Olympics but they would still give Jake Paul because he’s a man. And it’s like, ‘You guys know nothing!”
Shields has put her boxing career on the backburner as she prepares to transition into the mixed martial arts world.
The two-time Olympic gold medallist penned a multi-year deal with the Professional Fighters League earlier this month.
In a bid to get herself well versed in all the facets of MMA, Shields has begun training at JacksonWink MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico – the home of former UFC champions Jon Jones and Holly Holm.
Although her energy is currently focused on learning the fundamentals of MMA, Shields still intends to compete in boxing
‘T-Rex’ said: “I want to go where no man or woman has gone and hold championships in both boxing and MMA at the same time.
“The one-two punch of PFL in MMA and Salita Promotions in boxing will allow me to continue to show that there are no limits to what a woman can do. I can’t wait to get to work!”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk