Clark gets an offer from Shields for boxing training.

laressa Shields, a double Olympic gold medalist and the undisputed middleweight boxing champion, has long established her place in the sport. With a 14-0 record, Shields has conquered every viable contender at 160lbs and 168lbs. Now, the 29-year-old is seeking new challenges, aiming to elevate her legacy further.

Shields even entertained the idea of guarding WNBA phenom Caitlin Clark, drawing a parallel to boxing great Roy Jones Jr., who famously played in a U.S. Basketball League game before his world title defense.

“The way that girl is shooting I may have to give her a little foul or something,” Shields joked. “Caitlin is doing her thing. Shoutout to her and Angel Reese. They’ve brought so much attention to the WNBA.”

Clark, the first overall pick by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA draft, has generated significant interest in women’s basketball. Her presence has led to increased attendance and viewership. However, Clark has faced a rough welcome, highlighted by a recent hard foul from the Chicago Sky’s Chennedy Carter. This incident sparked a debate on whether Clark is being unfairly targeted or simply experiencing a tough rookie initiation.

Shields has been closely following the discussion and has a proposal for Clark. “I want Caitlin to come sign up for boxing training with me. Not to teach her how to fight but to give her confidence and not let anybody push her over,” Shields said. “When you have the confidence of knowing you can protect yourself, you don’t have to be fearful or scared of anybody. Caitlin is a great WNBA player but she’s a rookie and, to me, she’s being bullied on national TV.”

Shields emphasized the importance of confidence both on and off the court. “She needs some heart and she needs some confidence on and off the court. If she wants to come and train with me and hear my life story, I’ll give her a little bit of training and show her how to throw a good one-two. Maybe she can get some respect and stop these girls from fouling her because they’ll see that when they foul her, she’ll foul them back.”