The World Boxing Organization has dismissed its proceedings against Claressa Shields related to her testing for a banned substance, the organization has announced in an email to her promoter.

Shields, a five-division titleholder and the undisputed women’s heavyweight champion, was suspended by the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission for testing positive for marijuana following her win over Danielle Perkins on February 2 in her hometown of Flint, Michigan.

As a result, the WBO issued Shields a “show cause” notice that put the  burden of proof on the fighter to essentially clear her name with both organizations.

Within weeks, Shields had. In a March 6 compliance conference with the Michigan commission, Shields’ team made the case on her behalf. The organization saw enough evidence to admit “a procedural error” in testing and, on March 14, lift Shields’ suspension, while at the same time declaring that the fighter’s “conduct no longer poses an imminent threat to the integrity of the sport, the public interest, or the welfare and safety of a contestant.”

The case, already considered flimsy – Michael Mazzulli, head of the Association of Boxing Commissions, called the Michigan commission’s actions “overkill” – was finally put behind Shields on Monday when the WBO dissolved its show cause notice.

As the WBO founder Luis Batista Salas wrote to Shields’ promoter Dmitriy Salita in Monday’s email: “Having carefully reviewed the facts, circumstances, and supporting evidence provided by Team Shields, acknowledging that the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission… has dissolved the order of summary suspension… IT IS HEREBY determined that the ‘Show Cause’ proceedings are terminated, effective immediately, and the case against Ms Shields is dismissed, effective March 28, 2025.”

No public apology was issued to Shields or her team by either the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission or the WBO.

Jason Langendorf is the former Boxing Editor of ESPN.com, was a contributor to Ringside Seat and the Queensberry Rules, and has written about boxing for Vice, The Guardian, Chicago Sun-Times and other publications. A member of the Boxing Writers Association of America, he can be found at LinkedIn and followed on X and Bluesky.