Q&A With Claressa Shields Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist
*DETROIT* (July 28, 2017) – Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist *Claressa
“T-Rex” Shields *(3-0, 1 KO) says she’s in the shape of her life to take on
reigning WBC Super Middleweight World Champion *Nikki Adler* (16-0, 9 KOs)
of Germany next Friday, August 4, at the MGM Grand Detroit.
Shields will challenge for her first world title in the 10-round main event
of Salita Promotions’ “*BATTLE OF THE BEST*” event, which will be televised
live on *ShoBox: The New Generation* (10:30 p.m. ET/PT).
Shields says she’s not rattled by Adler’s recent remarks, that the United
States should be ready for their golden girl to taker her first loss. In
fact, she’s never rattled. She also gives her thoughts on her recent
Twitter war with another top female fighter.
*Give me your thoughts on Nikki Adler’s remarks about the US being ready
for her to beat you. *
Nikki has to pump herself up, so she will say a lot the week of the fight.
The US is ready alright… ready for its 2x Olympic gold medal winner to
win her first pro world title!
*Does it intimidate you or make you train harder when an opponent talks
this way?*
I’ve never been intimidated by anyone. I have had worse things said to me,
I was gonna punish Nikki whether she talked trash or not.
*Talk to me about the pressure surrounding this fight. You’re going for
your first world title so early with the entire world watching. *
I always have the entire world watching. Some people want me to win and
some want the opposite! But I know what I can do, I’m just going to do it
and dominate like always. No pressure!
*Tell me about winning all these awards and coming even further to the
forefront of national celebrity. *
Winning awards is great; being recognized and respected is great also. I’ve
done something that no other person in America has done, I’m the GWOAT!
*Do you do anything different in training for a world title fight?*
Yes, you focus more, recover more, spar more rounds, and drink plenty of
water! I’ve never been more ready!
*Do you believe Nikki Adler has never watched you fight? *
No, I don’t believe she hasn’t ever watched me fight. That’s all mind
games! She wants me to believe that. But in all honesty, nothing on the
internet can help her in a fight against me!
*Do you dislike her now? *
(Laughs) Dislike is for emotional females! I love her! I’m gonna kick her
ass! And give her a big thank you after.
*Tell me about your Twitter feud with (fellow top female boxer) Layla
McCarter. What’s going on there? *
Layla McCarter talks too much. For no reason. I didn’t have a problem with
her at first, but she just upset because I say I’m P4P! And it’s the truth.
She is just in denial! One minute she supports me and the next she is
coming at me. In her interview after she beat Szabados, a girl I TKO’d in
the fourth round previous, she says she can come to 160 and beat me. Then
whenever I get props, or recognition, there she is again just saying slick
stuff. I had to let her have it.
*What will your philosophy be as world champion if you win?*
I don’t do ‘ifs.’ WHEN I become world champion, my philosophy will be to be
so great that even your enemies will start to love me. God has been my rock
for many years. He says ‘be humble to him,’ which I am! But I don’t have to
be humble to man when I speak about my God-given ability.
To open the telecast, undefeated world-ranked super bantamweight *Vladimir
Tikhonov* (16-0, 9 KOs) of Russia will face Texas slugger *Jesse Angel
Hernandez* (8-1, 6 KOs) over eight tough rounds between southpaws.
*Tickets for the event promoted by Salita Promotions are on sale now and
are priced at $350, $250, $125 and $60. They are available at *
*www.ticketmaster.com*
*.*
*About ShoBox: The New Generation*
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing
series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough.
The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and
competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects
determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 69
fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles
includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara,
Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux,
Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy
Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi,
Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams, Errol Spence Jr. and more.
