Club Shay Shay – Claressa Shields, Part 1 (November 19, 2025)

Host: Shannon Sharpe
Guest: Claressa Shields
Location: Sweet Science Fitness Atlanta Boxing Club, Atlanta, GA

Episode Overview

This episode of Club Shay Shay features an in-depth, heartfelt conversation between Shannon Sharpe and Claressa Shields, widely considered the “GWOAT”—Greatest Woman of All Time—in boxing. From her trailblazing achievements in the ring to her tumultuous upbringing in Flint, Michigan, Shields shares the adversities that forged her grit, resilience, and championship mindset. The episode covers her family history, struggles with poverty, experiences with bullying and trauma, mental health battles, and the unbreakable bond with her grandmother. Emphasis is placed on Shields’s fighting spirit both inside and outside the ring, her drive for equality in women’s boxing, and her undying loyalty to family.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Boxing Lessons on Air: Breaking Down Technique

• [03:02–10:45] Shields gives Sharpe hands-on lessons in boxing basics—jab, cross, hook, uppercut—demonstrating technique, footwork, and power generation.
• Notable banter as Shields corrects Sharpe’s stance and explains how to “push off that back leg” for a snappy jab.
• Shields stresses the importance of proper technique and shares a playful competitive vibe with Sharpe:
  • “You have more power if you push off that back leg. And then when you throw your right... get that hand up, ‘cause you don’t want to be hittin’ your chin.” —Claressa Shields [06:05]

2. Early Dreams and Entering Boxing

• [13:16–14:47] Shields’s childhood dreams: 1) become a singer like Aaliyah; 2) be a mother; 3) be a boxer.
• Started boxing at age 11, drawn to the one-on-one nature and the ability for her hard work to directly lead to victory.
• Reveals dislike for team sports where results depend on others:
  • “With boxing, it just made me feel really good. Like I felt very strong. I had got my first bruise there.” —Claressa Shields [14:36]

3. Growing Up in Flint – Family and Hardship

• [13:54–20:07] Shares details of growing up in a large family, often with absent fathers. Her mom had four kids; her dad had seven.
• Shields was bullied for her speech impediment, clothes, and hair. The hardship and fighting at school (and with her younger sister) led to her discovering boxing.
  • “People just come up... these kids, you know, they’re so mean nowadays. They used to walk up and copy my work, grab my paper, ball it up and throw it away. Now the teacher’s asking me what happened… I got into a lot of fights for that.” —Claressa Shields [18:13]
• Shield’s role as protector started young:
  • “It was my job to protect her [my mom]. So if she gone for a couple days and we don’t know where she at... We get out there on the streets and we go find her.” [38:01]

4. Speech Impediment, Anger, and Journaling

• [15:52–17:46]
• Shields didn’t talk until age 5, stuttered until 9, and was often misunderstood at school—sometimes leading to fights.
• Her grandmother, Joanne, taught her sign language, got her speech therapy, and instilled patience and self-belief.
  • “My grandma was just like, she was sweet, but she was a no nonsense lady. I feel like I’m a lot like her.” [16:28]
• Journaling became crucial:
  • “If I could write something that I understand and that you can read, I don’t even have to talk to you anyway.” [17:23]

5. Family Trauma and Healing

• [33:30–36:37]
• Shields discloses being sexually assaulted at age 5—a topic never discussed with her mom until she was 16.
• As a child, she believed her mother chose the abuser over her, causing years of resentment.
  • “I felt that she picked the abuser over me, and I grew up with that image... there was like a deep secret that I was hiding.” —Claressa Shields [34:15/36:36]
• Healing conversation with her mother led to apologies and emotional release:
  • “Me being able to talk about it is what made me feel...” —Claressa Shields [36:36]
  • “It was a weight off my shoulders.” —Claressa Shields [36:37]

6. Role of Her Grandmother

• [37:43–44:47]
• Joanne, her grandmother, became her safe haven, mentor, and best friend.
• Shields keeps her late grandmother’s memory alive through personal symbols (nickname “Coco” on her shorts, Betty Boop socks) and family traditions.
  • “She let me know back then... that I was worth the trouble.” —Claressa Shields [47:14]
  • “Stand on your word. Finish what you start. Losers never quit and quitters never win.” —Claressa Shields [49:40]

7. Mental Health and Surviving Depression

• [50:56–55:49]
• Openly discusses two suicide attempts at ages 13 and 16, spurred by compounded family trauma and fear of lost Olympic opportunity.
  • “If I can’t fight my way up out of here, I’m not about to live like this. It’s over with.” —Claressa Shields [51:17]
  • Saving call from her best friend, Aaliyah, led her to pray and persevere.
• Recognizes now that depression's negative self-talk mimics your own voice:
  • “That same voice that was being uplifting and positive now is being negative.” —Claressa Shields [54:07]

8. Making Olympic History—And Pushing for Fairness

• [64:47–76:07 & 75:07–75:58]
• Youngest American woman to win Olympic gold in boxing at 17 (2012) and repeated at 21 (2016).
  • “I keep my stuff on me. That’s that gold, baby.” —Claressa Shields [64:53]
• Insisted on equal pay for women in USA Boxing, vital for her second Olympic run:
  • “I let them know that I wouldn’t go back unless these things changed. And they were all for it ‘cause they needed me to win that gold medal.” —Claressa Shields [75:13]
• Stresses the importance of USA Boxing in developing tough, skilled fighters—claims America produces the best—while acknowledging challenges for women in big moments.
  • “America has the best fighters. ... As far as skill and everything, I feel like America has the best fighters.” —Claressa Shields [79:39]

9. Adapting from Amateur to Pro Boxing

• [80:42–82:53]
• Adjusting style for the pro game, with more emphasis on power, less on scoring points.
• Talks about challenges of fighting without headgear and strategy when facing rough or “dirty” opponents.

10. Navigating Respect, Criticism, and Gender in Sports

• [86:00–89:42]
• Shields addresses criticism about her muscular, athletic physique and how it parallels comments once made about Serena Williams:
  • “I’m built like the bodies that these girls getting and buying. … When I put on a dress, I look just as feminine, just as pretty, just as fine.” —Claressa Shields [86:28]
• Discusses fulfilling weight class requirements and her comfort in her skin, regardless of outside opinions.

11. Relationships, Family Roles, and Self-Resilience

• [67:00–70:02]
• Despite strict coaches, by high school Shields was already managing relationships on her terms.
• Always put family first, acting as the “big sister-mom,” especially when their own mother struggled with addiction.
  • “I just want everybody to turn out all right. Everybody ain’t gonna be famous.” —Claressa Shields [41:50]
• First among siblings to graduate high school, underscoring her role as a trailblazer.

12. Dealing with Internet Trolls and Real-life Confrontations

• [61:01–64:37]
• Describes an incident where a persistent online "troll" showed up at Shields’s gym and got “the hands.”
  • “You wanted your ass whooped, and I’m gonna give you just what you want.” —Claressa Shields [61:41]
• Emphasizes the difference between online disrespect and what happens when confronted face-to-face with a professional fighter.

13. Transgender Athletes in Boxing and Media Narratives

• [83:03–84:49]
• Shields approaches the controversy around Iman Khalif, an Algerian boxer, with facts and empathy, clarifying misconceptions about gender and competition in amateur boxing:
  • “I don’t believe that they will let a male fight against women. … I fight the facts.” —Claressa Shields [83:47, paraphrased]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Overcoming Adversity:
  • “Mentally, I’m tougher than a lot of people... People talk about me inside the ring, but outside the ring, I know that people couldn’t make it through what I made it through.” —Claressa Shields [39:38]
• On Equality in Boxing:
  • “If I’m boxing, if I’m in here putting my life on the line, I’m practicing, I’m in the gym, I’m running... and winning every tournament, why am I getting paid less than the men?” —Claressa Shields [75:13]
• On Family Resilience:
  • “My job has always been to protect her. If she gone for a couple days... We get out there on the streets and we go find her.” —Claressa Shields [38:01]
• On Healing and Her Grandmother:
  • “She let me know that I was worth the trouble.” —Claressa Shields [47:14]
• On Self-Confidence and Criticism:
  • “When I put on a dress, I look just as feminine, just as pretty, just as fine... I’m built like the bodies these girls getting and buying.” —Claressa Shields [86:28]

Timeline with Timestamps

• Boxing Techniques & Banter: 03:02–10:45
• Early dreams and family: 13:16–14:22
• Speech Impediment & Bullying: 15:52–18:47
• First Fights & Protecting Herself: 18:48–20:07
• Parent Incarceration & Advice for Kids: 24:31–29:13
• Mother’s Addiction & Shield’s Childhood Roles: 30:52–41:24
• Cycle of Trauma & Grandmother’s Impact: 33:30–47:43
• Mental Health, Suicide, and Recovery: 50:56–55:49
• Winning Olympic Gold and Equal Pay: 64:47–76:07
• Adapting Boxing Style for Pros: 80:42–82:53
• Social Media Troll Incident & Attitude: 61:01–64:37
• Body Image & Societal Criticism: 86:00–89:42

This episode is a compelling blend of sports insight, raw honesty, humor, and inspiration—showcasing Claressa Shields’s unmatched spirit, her perspective on fighting for more than just championships, and how her journey from Flint has shaped an indomitable champion in and out of the ring.