EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsClaressa Shields is back on top in the middleweight division, rolling to a dominant sixth-round TKO victory over Kaye Scott to reclaim the WBC and WBA championships Saturday night at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.Shields (19-0, 4 KOs), ESPN's No. 1 pound-for-pound women's boxer and the current undisputed women's heavyweight champion, dropped down three weight classes to fight at middleweight for the first time since 2023, when she was the 160-pound division's undisputed champion.Still, she looked as sharp as ever in outclassing Scott to regain her titles."This was a really hard camp," Shields said. "I cut 38 pounds. I was at 198 pounds and got down to 160. This is the most disciplined I've been since the Olympics, I feel like."Scott (5-2-1) stood her ground and didn't shy away from slugging it out with the fighter known as "The GWOAT," but Shields' power and accuracy proved too much for the champion, who had a giant welt on her forehead by early in Round 2.Fully in control of the fight, Shields forced Scott to take a count following a hellacious left hook in the sixth round that left the champion stumbling against the ropes. With Scott visibly hurt and on shaky legs, Shields went for the finish and got it, with Scott's corner throwing in the towel and the referee halting the bout at 1 minute, 38 seconds."I was actually just trying to her figure her out," Shields said. "She was stronger than what I thought. She was very strong, and I knew that when we cut the weight that I cut that I didn't want to exert too much early. So I was trying to make sure that I could get with her strength and not get caught with nothing crazy because I'm not as strong as I am at 175 [pounds]."Shields fought at heavyweight in her four previous fights, including a unanimous decision win over Franchon Crews-Dezurn in February. She has also been undisputed champion at junior middleweight, making her the only woman to be undisputed across three weight classes.Asked who she wants to fight next, Shields called out unified welterweight champion Lauren Price and also named Tamm Thibeault, who holds the WBO and IBF middleweight belts.Scott, 42, was making her first title defense Saturday night.
