Claressa Shields the GWOAT, boxing's best, Laila Ali superfight, on overcoming trauma, silencing doubters, her relationship with Papoose, becoming a mother, defending her undisputed title July 26 & legacy.

Pivot Podcast

The Pivot Podcast Network

Football, Society & Culture, Sports

4.9 • 2.6K Ratings

🗓️ 22 July 2025

⏱️ 65 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

"The hardship and everything I went through created the fire inside, people don't understand the woman I am." Claressa Shields Heavyweight Undisputed Champion In this powerful, no-holds-barred episode of The Pivot Podcast, the GWOAT herself—Claressa Shields—joins Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder, and Fred Taylor for one of her most personal interviews to date. From surviving a tough upbringing in Flint, Michigan to becoming the only boxer—male or female—to be undisputed in two weight classes simultaneously, Claressa shares the raw truth behind her journey. She opens up about the pain that made her, the critics that tried to break her, and the constant pressure of being a Black woman at the top of one of the most male-dominated sports in the world. But it’s not all about the ring. In a deeply personal moment, Claressa reveals the reason behind two of her early dreams: Becoming an Olympic medalist and buying a bed. Sleeping on the floor most of her childhood and always having to fight for acceptance led her to fight for what she wanted. Claressa also lets us in on her private life—specifically her relationship with rapper and hip-hop legend Papoose. She talks about the bond they’ve built, what his steady support means to her, and how love and loyalty outside the ring fuel her fight inside of it, even opening up on motherhood in the near future. It’s a side of Claressa the public rarely sees—vulnerable, grounded, and deeply human. With her next undisputed title defense set for July 26 in Detroit, Claressa shares what’s driving her into this fight, why it feels more personal than ever, and how she's staying focused amid everything—from family to fame to legacy. She addresses the critics who’ve downplayed her success, and the media that still tries to put limits on her greatness while acknowledging that her journey is a lot like her male counterpart, Terrance Bud Crawford, who she calls he twin, not just in the fight game but in life too. This isn't just another sports interview. It's a real conversation with one of the most dominant and dynamic athletes of our time—who’s still fighting for her respect, her people, and her place in history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Oh, that's my prime delivery.
0:01.6	What, already?
0:02.7	Only one thing can match the buzz of Prime's fast delivery.
0:06.2	And that's the buzz of Prime's entertainment.
0:09.0	What are we watching?
0:09.7	Heads of state, that new action comedy with Idris Elber as the Prime Minister,
0:13.3	John Sina as the president, and Prianka Chopra Jonas,
0:15.9	as their only hope.
0:17.0	It looks like a blast.
0:18.2	From fast delivery to explosive entertainment, it's on Prime. For only
0:23.0	$899 a month, join now. Content includes limited ads, subscription or to our news. For more information, go to Amazon.com.com. U.K. slash Prime. Clarissa Shields is to quote, yeah, yeah, y'all. She made that up. Greatest woman of all time. But she believes it so deeply she wants to fight Layla Ali for millions of dollars and even told us if Layla whips her, she's going to give her one of her chains. The Flintstone grew up tough in Michigan. She was the protector of her house, many nights sleeping on the floor in front of the front door in order to protect her family. But who was protecting her sexually abused as a child, poor, and tired of losing?
0:56.2	She turned to boxing.
0:57.3	She became a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and she's the only male or female to be a three-division
1:03.0	undisputed champion in the history of boxing.
1:05.9	But she has her eyes on other things.
1:07.8	She says after she beats Lonnie Daniels on July 26th, she wants to start a family
1:12.2	with rapper Papoos, and then she'll return to boxing. That's when you know nobody can mess with
1:16.8	you. She talks women's pay and boxing, family life, beef with other boxers, and business. And then
1:22.8	she tells us why even women shouldn't have sex before their matches.
1:28.7	I mean, it's a convo.
1:33.6	Get ready for some body blows because me, Fred, and Chan are about to sit down with the quote,
1:37.8	Clarissa Shields, for a conversation with no standing aid count.
	...

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