Claressa Shields Teases Next Opponent And Weight Class

Price defeated Stephanie Pineiro by unanimous decision at the Utilita Arena, retaining her WBA, IBF, and WBC welterweight titles in a gritty, blood-filled performance. After the fight, Shields—speaking in clips shared by BBC Sport and Fight Hub TV—outlined her interest in facing Price, confirmed her preferred weight class at 160 pounds, and began shaping what could become a major international event.

In the BBC Sport clip, Shields pointed directly to the timeline. “We can look forward to a fight in the future before the end of the year,” she said. “I’m really excited to meet Lauren, to see her fight in person and to continue to move negotiations forward and hopefully we can lock us in a fight.” She didn’t stop there, adding, “If you’re the best out there… I’m willing to fight against her and dominate her like I do everybody else.”

Shields also emphasized the scale of what this fight could represent. “I feel like me and Lauren fighting is one of the biggest fights in women’s boxing,” she said. It’s a rare scenario—two Olympic gold medalists, both current world champions, potentially meeting in their prime. In the UK, where Price continues to rise as a headline attraction, the matchup carries major upside and could headline a significant event across the British boxing scene.

At the same time, Shields is locking in her division. In the Fight Hub interview, she confirmed her plans moving forward. “We’re going down to 160… my natural weight class,” Shields said. “I had to move up to 160 because all the girls were scared to fight me… I still gotta fight whoever will fight me.”

Between targeting a high-profile opponent and settling back into her natural division, Shields isn’t just teasing what’s next—she’s actively shaping it.