In the last few weeks, three division champion Claressa Shields has been trading words with former welterweight champ Keith Thurman.
Both have expressed some interest in a potential fight.
Thurman believes the contest would be a one-sided domination – but Shields has a completely different view of the outcome.
A boxing match between opponents of the opposite sex would likely fail to get sanctioned by an athletic commission. An exhibition, however, could happen.
Thurman believes that he could beat Shields by using only one of his hands.
“I don’t know what it is with these men they have huge ego problems, not just in boxing but in general in life,” Shields told The Mirror.
“Keith said he could beat me with one hand and he could wear bigger gloves and I could wear headgear? I’m like ‘dude, stop’. The guy walks around at 154-pounds, you’re not that good of a boxer, you’re not a world champ, just tread lightly because I will get in there and I will fight him with both hands.”
Thurman has been very inactive in the last few years.
He’s fought just once since losing a twelve round decision to Manny Pacquiao in 2019. Thurman saw action in February of 2022, when he picked up a decision win over Mario Barrios.
In 2023, Thurman had been linked to fights with Yordenis Ugas, Errol Spence and Eimantas Stanionis – but none of them were close to happening.
Shields is not holding her breath that a contest with Thurman will actually happen.
“He said he wanted to do it for charity but who knows?” Shields continued. “All these guys talk but when you throw the contracts at them and they get to mentioning money, these guys zip it.”