Shields vs Scott: Atlanta’s boxing showdown in August

Claressa Shields, arguably the best female boxer in the world, will fight in Atlanta for the first time. Shields (18-0, 3 KO’s) will face the Unified WBC and WBA Middleweight champ, Kaye Scott, at State Farm Arena on August 15. 

“I love Atlanta. I’m so excited,” Shields said about her upcoming fight with Scott during their pre-fight press conference at State Farm Arena. The press conference took place in one of the arena’s conference rooms, normally used for press events for the musical talent visiting the arena. This fight had equal star power, with Shields coming straight here from the BET Awards on Sunday and Scott, a veteran fighter despite her seven professional fights, flying here straight from Australia. 

“I am severely jetlagged, but I’m here,” Scott said. When she walked into the press conference, she had both of her title belts in her arms. “I’m excited to come back here in August and put on a show for you guys.”   

Shields is a two-time Olympic and World Championships gold medalist and is the only female boxer to have held all four major titles in three weight classes. The opportunity to fight her in an arena is a big get for Scott and her team. 

Shields was seated next to Papoose, Wynn Records CEO Ruben Branson, Salita Promotions President Dmitriy Salita, and Lemuel Plummer, the CEO of Zeus Network, which plans to broadcast the undercard fights. 

Scott sat across the stage alongside her team, which included her manager, Mark Taffet, the former manager for Shields. The two were friendly during the press conference, and Taffet smiled when Shields said he knew how hard she worked to prepare for fights. 

“Mark, I hope you warned her,” Shields said. 

Asked how it feels to be fighting in Atlanta, Shields, who took questions from a host before she sat down with the assembled media after the press conference, said, 

Atlanta has a long and special relationship with the “Sweet Science.”  The home of former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield embraced the late heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali when he was looking to get back into the ring in 1970 after having his boxing license suspended all over the country for refusing to fight in Vietnam in 1967. 

Taffet said the city was the perfect location for a big-time women’s boxing match. “It’s just wonderful to finally see the women here in Atlanta,” he said. “Claressa filled up Little Caesars Arena [in Detroit] a couple times, and now she’s going to fill up Atlanta.” 

The fight is the first female fight to top a boxing ticket at State Farm Arena. The championship fight will be broadcast via DAZN, and tickets are available via Ticketmaster. Shields, wearing a tight-fitting black dress, black heels, and a long blonde ponytail, warned Atlanta fight fans watching online that the next time they see her, she wouldn’t be looking the same. 

“Atlanta, I’m coming with the Queen Latifah Cleo braids straight to the back,” Shields joked about her readiness for the fight. “I’m just looking forward to coming to Atlanta.”

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