Claressa Shields Dominates Kaye Scott, But Is It Time for the GWOAT to Step Up the Competition?

Claressa Shields reminded the boxing world why she is considered one of the greatest female fighters of all time with a dominant sixth-round stoppage of Kaye Scott on August 15 in Atlanta.

Shields returned to the middleweight division, reclaimed the WBA and WBC titles and improved to 19-0. The performance was impressive, particularly considering the massive weight cut she made after her recent run at heavyweight. But with another relatively favorable matchup now behind her, an uncomfortable question is becoming harder to ignore:

Who is left for Claressa Shields to prove herself against?

And perhaps more importantly, why hasn’t Shields accepted the most intriguing—and potentially most lucrative—challenge currently available to her?

That challenge is Cris Cyborg.

Shields Gets the Job Done Against Scott

There is no question that Shields performed at an elite level against Kaye Scott.

The 42-year-old Australian entered the fight with a 5-1-1 record and the WBA and WBC middleweight titles, but Shields’ speed, accuracy and pressure eventually overwhelmed her. Scott’s corner stopped the fight following the sixth round, giving Shields her 19th professional victory and just her fourth stoppage.

Shields also accomplished something historically significant by becoming a champion again at 160 pounds after previously becoming undisputed at heavyweight.

She has now won world championships across five weight classes and remains one of the most accomplished boxers of her generation.

But accomplishments and competitive challenges are two different things.

And that’s where the conversation surrounding Shields gets interesting.

Is Shields Fighting the Best Available Opponents?

Shields has every right to pursue the fights that make sense for her career. She is a superstar, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and one of boxing’s most decorated champions.

Yet her recent opposition has not always reflected the enormous status she has built.

Scott was a legitimate world champion, but she was also 42 years old and had only seven professional fights entering the matchup. Shields was heavily favored and ultimately proved the difference in class.

Now Shields has talked about pursuing another major fight against Lauren Price, an undefeated Welsh Olympic champion who has expressed interest in moving up to 160 pounds.

That would be a significantly more compelling challenge.

But there is another fighter who has been calling for a showdown with Shields for months—and she has reportedly put a $2 million payday on the table to make it happen.

Cris Cyborg Has Already Put $2 Million on the Table

Cris Cyborg is not another crossover fighter looking for a celebrity payday.

She is an 18-time MMA World Champion with championship victories spanning Strikeforce, Invicta FC, UFC, Bellator and PFL. Tapology currently lists Cyborg with 29 professional MMA victories, the most in women’s MMA history.

And Cyborg has also developed into a legitimate professional boxer.

Cyborg is now 8-0 with six knockouts in professional boxing and holds the WIBA world championship.

Earlier this year, Cyborg publicly offered Claressa Shields $2 million to fight her in boxing, with Cyborg willing to move up to 160 pounds to make the matchup happen.

Shields has publicly dismissed the proposal, questioning whether Cyborg could actually fund such a purse and indicating that the offer was far below what she would want for the fight. Reports have cited Shields saying she would need substantially more money to accept the matchup.

That makes the latest financial numbers surrounding Shields particularly fascinating.

The $500,000 Question

Publicly disclosed purse information from the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission reportedly lists Shields’ compensation for the Kaye Scott fight at $500,000.

If that figure is accurate—and it represents only the disclosed purse—it raises an obvious question:

Why wouldn’t Shields at least seriously consider a fight offering potentially four times that amount?

Cyborg has publicly offered $2 million.

Shields reportedly made $500,000 for fighting Scott.

That doesn’t automatically mean Cyborg’s offer represents the complete economic value of a potential fight. PPV revenue, sponsorships, guarantees, promotional expenses and other contractual terms would all have to be negotiated.

But from the outside, the discrepancy is difficult to ignore.

A fighter who has repeatedly established herself as one of boxing’s biggest stars is being offered a dramatically larger disclosed guarantee to face another combat-sports superstar—and yet the fight remains nowhere near the ring.

That is curious.

Cyborg Represents a Completely Different Test

The biggest reason the Shields-Cyborg matchup remains so fascinating isn’t the money.

It’s the uncertainty.

Shields has dominated elite boxing opposition throughout her career. Cyborg, meanwhile, brings something completely different.

Cyborg has spent more than two decades fighting professionally in MMA. She has fought—and defeated—multiple generations of elite female fighters while becoming an 18-time MMA World Champion.

She also possesses legitimate professional boxing experience and power.

An undefeated 8-0 record with six knockouts doesn’t make Cyborg a more accomplished boxer than Shields. It doesn’t.

Shields is the superior pure boxer and has spent her entire professional career competing at the highest levels of the sport.

But Cyborg would bring elite MMA instincts, physical strength, championship experience, pressure and legitimate knockout power into the equation.

That’s exactly what makes the fight compelling.

It would be a true test of whether Shields can handle an opponent who doesn’t fit the traditional boxing mold.

The Fight Fans Keep Asking About

There is also a larger narrative at play.

Women’s combat sports have spent years trying to create crossover superstars and marquee events that attract audiences beyond a single sport.

Shields vs. Cyborg could potentially do that.

Shields is one of boxing’s biggest names.

Cyborg is one of MMA’s biggest names.

Both are world champions.

Both have built Hall of Fame-level résumés.

And both have repeatedly said they want to prove themselves against the best.

The difference is that Cyborg appears to have already put a number on the table.

$2 million.

The question now becomes whether Shields believes the risk is worth the reward.

Cyborg Has Her Own History to Make

While the boxing world debates Shields’ next opponent, Cyborg has an enormous fight of her own coming this weekend.

On Saturday, August 22, Cyborg returns to MMA against former UFC title challenger Ketlen Vieira in the main event of PFL Tampa.

The fight will air live on ESPN.

And the stakes are enormous.

Cyborg enters the fight with 29 professional MMA victories. A win over Vieira would make her the first woman in MMA history to reach 30 professional victories.

That is another elite opponent on Cyborg’s résumé—and another opportunity to demonstrate that her career is still operating at the highest level.

Vieira is not being brought in as an opponent simply to pad a record. She is a former UFC title challenger and experienced veteran with a 16-5 professional record.

Maybe the Bigger Question Isn’t Whether Shields Is Great

Claressa Shields doesn’t need to prove that she is great.

Her résumé has already done that.

The question is whether she is willing to take the fights that could define the next stage of her career.

Lauren Price is an intriguing option.

Tammara Thibeault is another.

But Cris Cyborg presents something entirely different.

An undefeated professional boxer.

An 18-time MMA World Champion.

The winningest woman in professional MMA history.

A fighter with six boxing knockouts on an 8-0 record.

And, most importantly, a fighter who has publicly offered $2 million for the opportunity to fight Shields.

If Shields continues to fight, eventually the boxing world is going to need to see her against the biggest and most dangerous names available.

Cyborg has made herself available.

She has put money behind the challenge.

And while Shields continues to add victories to an already extraordinary résumé, the unanswered question remains:

If Claressa Shields really wants the biggest challenges—and potentially the biggest payday of her career—why isn’t Cris Cyborg the fight she is making next?