Price set for two fight deal with Shields

Promoter Ben Shalom has finally spotted a gap in the market for a fight that doesn’t involve a YouTuber or a retirement home. He is currently hammering out a two fight deal for Welsh hero Lauren Price to face the self proclaimed Greatest Woman Of All Time, Claressa Shields. This is basically the boxing version of a high stakes exchange programme, with one bout in the UK and another in the US.

Price just finished a bloody shift in Cardiff where she defended her unified welterweight titles against Stephanie Pineiro. Despite a nasty clash of heads that left her looking like an extra in a horror film, she secured a points win. Shields was watching from ringside, presumably taking notes or just enjoying the Welsh hospitality. The pair then faced off in the ring to make sure everyone knew that a very expensive clash is on the way.

The Weighty Issue

There is one small catch in this grand plan. Price is currently a welterweight, which is a polite way of saying she is significantly smaller than Shields. To make this work, Price has to go on a serious diet of protein shakes and heavy lifting. The plan is for her to fight at 154lbs in August before moving up again to 160lbs for the Shields showdown at the end of the year.

Shields is currently the undisputed heavyweight champion, but she is happy to drop back down to middleweight to defend her legacy. She has won titles in five different weight classes and has two Olympic gold medals gathering dust at home.Price only has one gold medal, so she clearly has some catching up to do in the trophy cabinet department.

A Battle of the Brands

Promoter Dmitriy Salita is talking about this as a legacy defining event. He claims Shields uses her platform to push for equality and respect, though a massive payday certainly helps the cause. On the other side, Shalom’s Boxxer group is likely rubbing their hands together at the thought of a BBC broadcast deal for the UK leg.

Broadcasters haven’t signed on the dotted line yet, but they are expected to swarm this fight like bees to a honey pot. It is a rare moment where the best actually fight the best without five years of arguing over who gets to walk into the ring first.

America vs Wales

Shields has spent her career dealing with opponents with ease, but Price might actually give her a reason to break a sweat. The Welsh boxer is rising through the ranks faster than a rocket, and she has already proven she doesn’t mind the sight of her own blood.

Whether Price can handle the sheer power of an undisputed heavyweight who is moving down for a scrap remains to be seen. It is a bold move to jump up weight classes just to fight the scariest woman in the sport, but at least the air miles will be good.