Claressa Shields Stops Kaye Scott
Claressa Shields (19-0, 4 KOs) won the WBA and WBC unified middleweight championship when she stopped Kaye Scott (5-2-1) in the sixth round at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on August 15.
Australian fighter Scott entered the pro game late, aged 39 in 2023, but brought a solid amateur background to the paid ranks, and then two middleweight titles, into the ring for the biggest test of her career against Shields on Saturday. American pound-for-pound boxer Shields, meanwhile, dropped three weight classes to make the fight happen, reiterating her claim as one of the best 160-pounders.
In an action-packed fight, Shields bruised Scott as early as the second round. The more active and accurate puncher, Shields forced a high pace and only faced a real moment of adversity in the fifth round, when Scott boxed Shields against the ropes.
Shields denied Scott from taking any momentum in the sixth by increasing the tempo and the pressure, wobbling the champion with a left hook. She threw anoter power punch — an overhand right, forcing a count. Though Scott made it to her feet, a later barrage prompted Scott’s corner to throw the white towel into the ring. It was all over at 1:38 in round six.
“I know I made it look easy, but Kaye Scott had power behind those punches,” said Shields.
Scott later lauded Shields’s power.
“The right hand landed pretty hard … I hadn’t been hit like that before with a right hand that hard. My legs were gone and I couldn’t recover. I tried everything, but she was just too good. I think it was her speed and power.”
Shields said she’d like to return in December or January, and is eager to fight Mikaela Mayer, if not Lauren Price, or even Tamm Thibeault.
Full Shields vs. Scott Results
Claressa Shields def. Kaye Scott via KO (R6) – Middleweight Title Match
Bernice Ferreira def. Caroline Veyre via DQ (R8) — Super Featherweight Title Match
Troy Isley def. Joseph Hicks via Decision (Unanimous) — Middleweight
Atif Oberlton def. Roamer Alexis Angulo via Decision (Unanimous) — Light Heavyweight
Ashleyann Lozada def. Paulette Cuesta by Decision (Unanimous) — Super Bantamweight
Daniel Mercado def. Rahmel McKinely by Knockout (R1) — Super Welterweight