Undisputed boxing champion Claressa Shields has been a force in the ring since she was 11. The Olympic gold medalist, who triumphed at the 2012 and 2016 Games, has remained undefeated with an 11-0 professional record.
Never one to stay in one lane, Shields moved from dominating boxing to taking on a new fight in the MMA world through the Professional Fighters League.
Her fierce drive and historic victories have transformed the conversation around women’s boxing and built her what could be the beginnings of a little fortune along the way.
What is Claressa Shields’ Net Worth in 2025?
Celebrity Net Worth pegs Claressa Shields’ 2025 net worth at $1 million, while Finance Monthly places it higher, estimating between $5 million and $10 million.
Those numbers, however, only tell part of the story. Shields holds a place in boxing history as the only male or female fighter in the four-belt era to become undisputed champion across three weight divisions (per ESPN).
That legacy hasn’t gone unnoticed outside the ring. In 2022, she was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Sports list, a nod to both her athletic dominance and rising influence in the business of sport.
The Making of a Champion
Claressa Maria Shields was born on March 17, 1995, in Flint, Michigan, and faced a tough childhood marked by poverty, abuse, and bullying.
Her father, Bo Shields, had boxed in underground circuits and shared stories of Laila Ali, but still discouraged Claressa from training, believing boxing was for men.
However, Shields found her calling after defending herself in school and feeling empowered by the act. Encouraged by her grandmother to ignore gender norms and chase her dream, she committed to the sport.
She began training at Flint’s Berston Field House under coach Jason Crutchfield. By 2011, she had already racked up regional titles and claimed two Junior Olympic Championships (per MLive).
Amateur Boxing and First Olympic Win
Shields won the middleweight title at the National Police Athletic League Championships in 2011, earning her a spot at the US Olympic Trials (per ESPN). Despite losing the second round to England’s Savannah Marshall, she still qualified for the 2012 London Olympics.
What came next was a breakthrough moment: at just 17 years old, Shields became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in boxing, defeating Russia’s Nadezda Torlopova 19–12 (per Sports Illustrated).
She continued her rise by taking home gold at the 2014 Pan American Olympic Festival.
That momentum continued into 2015, when she made history again by becoming the first American woman to claim Olympic and Pan American Games titles (per Detroit News).
Then, at the 2016 Rio Olympics, she returned to the ring and successfully defended her title, beating Nouchka Fontijn of the Netherlands.
NBC reported that this win made her the first American boxer to win consecutive Olympic titles.
Professional Boxing
Claressa Shields turned professional in November 2016 and immediately made a statement, defeating Franchón Crews-Dezurn by unanimous decision in her debut fight (per USA Today).
Just a few months later, she made history again. Her March 2017 bout against Szilvia Szabados became the first women’s match to headline ShoBox (per ESPN).
From there, Shields hit her stride. She outlasted the undefeated Tori Nelson to claim the WBAN super-middleweight title, going all ten rounds for the first time in her pro career (per Mid Michigan Now).
But her star just kept rising. In 2018, she made her HBO debut, dominating Femke Hermans across all ten rounds (per Boxing Scene).
After consistent victories and nabbing titles in the WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO middleweight titles, in March 2021, Shields became the first boxer in the four-belt era to hold undisputed titles in two weight classes.
She was also the first female boxer to be an undisputed champion in two weight classes after defeating Marie-Eve Dicaire by unanimous decision (per Fight Mag).
In February 2025, Shields faced Danielle Perkins for the undisputed heavyweight championship at Dort Financial Center in Flint, Michigan, and scored a knockdown in the last few seconds of the tenth round, winning by unanimous decision.
This victory made her the only three-division undisputed champion, male or female, of the four-belt era (per BBC)
MMA
Looking for a new arena to conquer, Claressa Shields entered the world of Mixed Martial Arts in 2020, signing a three-year deal with the Professional Fighters League (per MMA Fighting).
She made her MMA debut at PFL 4 in June 2021, securing a third-round TKO victory over Brittney Elkin (per Sky Sports).
Her second bout was shuffled around the 2021 schedule, finally taking place on October 27. That night, Shields squared off against Abigail Montes at PFL 10 but suffered her first professional loss via split decision (per ESPN).
Shields returned to the cage for one final bout in February 2024, stepping in against Kelsey DeSantis at PFL vs. Bellator. She came in overweight, pushing her opponent up two weight classes, and narrowly escaped with a split decision win (per MMA Fighting).
Shields re-signed a multi-year deal with the PFL in 2023, but bowed out of the sport in May 2025, ending her MMA run with a 2–1 record (per BBC).
Fight Purses and PFL Deal
Claressa Shields’ fight purses make up a significant portion of her income. Finance Monthly reported that she earned $375,000 for her 2021 matchup with Marie-Eve Dicaire. While her payouts haven’t matched many male fighters, her earnings remain impressive.
Her contract with the Professional Fighters League was reportedly a seven-figure deal (per AP News).
Forbes highlighted her milestone 2022 payday: $1 million for a two-fight deal with British broadcaster Sky Sports.
Her earnings climbed even higher in 2025, when she took home $1.5 million for her fight against Danielle Perkins in Flint.
Endorsements and Media Ventures
Claressa Shields’ influence goes beyond the ring. Recently, her life story became the focus of the 2024 biopic The Fire Inside, directed by Rachel Morrison.
Looking to broaden her reach, Shields told Forbes she’s also working to grow her YouTube channel as a new income stream and platform to connect with fans.
Off-screen, she’s forged brand partnerships with companies like Bose, Dicks Sporting Goods, Celsius, Everlast, and Ethika. These deals reflect her growing commercial appeal.
Yet, one big opportunity still eludes her. Despite her status in the sport, Shields has no endorsement deal with major sportswear brands like Adidas or Nike.
According to Marca, she’s currently holding out for a multi-million-dollar agreement.
How Does Claressa Shields’ Earnings Compare to Her Male Counterparts?
The gap between Claressa Shields’ net worth and that of her male peers highlights the persistent gender disparity in combat sports.
Take Canelo Alvarez, for example. Celebrity Net Worth reports that the multi-division champion has an estimated over $300 million net worth. His recent bout against William Scull reportedly earned him nearly $80 million, according to Marca.
Find out how Claressa Shields fits into the bigger picture in our celebrity net worth guide.
A Fight for Financial Equality
Claressa Shields is aiming to transform the future of women’s boxing. In an interview with Forbes, she declared she wants “bigger paydays, bigger opportunities, and to be able to fight on some of these main cards with the men, even if it’s being a co-main event.”
But Shields knows the fight for equal pay isn’t one she’ll win in the ring. Instead, she’s expanding her brand beyond boxing, determined to grow her financial influence.
She’s already fought for million-dollar purses and believes wealth equals power: “People respect numbers,” she hinted to Forbes.
FAQ
Does Claressa Shields have kids?
Claressa Shields doesn't have kids and even took to X to express how she doesn't appreciate the media spinning rumors about them, writing, “Don’t come over to my house asking me when I’m having kids. This isn’t the house for that!”
Is Claressa Shields in a relationship?
Claressa Shields has been dating rapper Papoose since 2024 (per Yahoo! Sports)
What is Muhammad Ali’s daughter’s net worth?
Retired American professional boxer and daughter of Muhammad Ali, Laila Ali, has a net worth of $10 million (per Celebrity Net Worth)