Atlantic City NJ: The eyes of Boxing & MMA headed to Ocean Casino & Resort in Atlantic City last night to watch the anticipated MMA debut of Claressa Shields. The two-time Olympic gold medalist and three-division boxing champion took on Brittany Elkin.
In the first round, it was a feeling-out process and Brittany got Shields down which raised plenty of hesitation. As a boxer, there was a lot of pressure on Shields to be able to adapt to what could be a very different fighting style with her back against the mat.
She weathered the storm and in round 2 was able to show off just how much power those jabs contain.
In the final rounds, Shields would go for the finish and put a lot more damage on Brittany, prompting the ref to stop the fight.
Following the fight, Shields gave her thoughts on the win.
So now the question is, Will Shields return for another MMA fight, or will she go back to boxing?
Overall, this was very interesting to see someone as talented as Shields making the transition from boxing to MMA. It was great for both MMA & the entire boxing world and now there is a real sense of excitement over what she can do if she does choose to pursue MMA.
Zuma Press/Icon Sportswire
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