Olympic gold medalist, boxing champion Claressa Shields signs with PFL

Boxing champion Claressa Shields is making the jump to mixed martial arts.

Shields, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who has put together a 10-0 record in her professional boxing career after going 77-1 as an amateur, has signed a contract with the PFL that will see her transition sports.

Two people with knowledge of the situation told MMA Junkie about Shields’ signing on Monday but requested anonymity because the PFL has yet to make an official announcement.

Shields will take one-off fights at lightweight to with PFL; she will not compete in the 2021 season. The situation is similar to what fellow two-time Olympic judo gold medalist Kayla Harrison did in 2018 before taking part in, and winning, the 2019 championship at 155 pounds.

Shields, 25, is expected to continue boxing in 2021, as well as compete in MMA. She has been mentioned in MMA circles the past couple of years. There’s been discussion of potential fights with UFC dual champion Amanda Nunes and Bellator champ Cris Cyborg, but those talks primarily have centered around Nunes or Cyborg crossing over into boxing.

The idea of competing in MMA never has been dismissed by Shields, though. In July 2019, she posted on social media that she “really” would consider fighting for the UFC. In February, video surfaced of Shields training kicks for the first time.

Shields, the undisputed women’s middleweight champion of the world, is one of only seven boxers in history – male or female – to hold WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO world championships at the same time. She hasn’t fought since a unanimous decision win over Ivana Habazin this past January. Shields weighed in at 153.4 pounds for that fight.