Boxing superstar Claressa “G.W.O.A.T.” Shields shared details from her training with all-time great Floyd Mayweather as she nears her WBC/WBA/IBF middleweight world championship defense against #1 ranked challenger Ema Kozin taking place Saturday, February 5 live on pay-per-view in the U.S. and Canada.
Shields will step into the ring as the co-main event in her U.K. debut as a professional, returning to the region The four-fight PPV card begins at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT and features star U.K. middleweights Chris Eubank Jr. and Liam Williams meeting in the main event.
Guided by Salita Promotions, Shields signed a lucrative multi-fight deal with promoter Boxxer and broadcaster SKY Sports in the U.K. that has put her on the path toward a super fight showdown with WBO Middleweight Champion Savannah Marshall in 2022.
where she won the first of her two gold medals.
Here is what Shields had to say her experience in Las Vegas training with Floyd Mayweather:
CLARESSA SHIELDS
“The main reason for going to Las Vegas was to get some altitude training. Cardiff has some altitude like Las Vegas, and there’s no altitude in Flint. I wanted to have my lungs feel that burn. I ran at 10,000 feet of elevation.
“The opportunity with Mayweather just kind of presented itself. Floyd heard I was coming and he opened up his gym to me and my team. It was great to see him spar and be in his presence. It was great to talk to him too and really see what he’s like.
“It’s great to hear that he’s a huge fan of me and that him and his kids like to watch my fights. It was a great experience overall.
“Floyd told me I was going in the right direction. Not a lot of U.S. fans get to have the experience of going to see what fans in the U.K. are like. He told me a lot about his experience fighting Ricky Hatton.
“We talked a lot about my skills, but also about the difference between amateurs and pros. In the pros you really have to stay calm and take your time. Even in two minute rounds, he was telling me to slow down and really see those shots coming.
“Floyd’s in great shape. He was sparring a 21-year-old for eight rounds and he wasn’t even always taking breaks between rounds. He can still do whatever he wants to do inside that ring. If he wanted to, he’d give all those guys problems at 147 and 154. From what I saw, his legs and his motor are still working.”
