Unified middleweight champion Claressa Shields (10-0, 2 KOs) is looking to make significantly higher paydays - which she feels are currently not within reach in the sport of boxing.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Shields had signed a contract with mixed martial arts company PFL [Professional Fighters League].
Shields was heavily influenced by Kayla Harrison's move to PFL.
Harrison, like Shields, is a two-time Olympic gold medal winner. Harrison won her medals in judo, while Shields secured both of her golds in boxing.
Last year, Harrison fought her way to a five round decision over Larissa Pacheco in the PFL Championship main event to win the top prize of $1 million.
Watching that win, and certainly the seven figure reward, left an impression on Shields.
“Kayla, I watch all her fights,” Shields told TMZ Sports. “She had a chance to fight for a million dollars before I had a chance to fight for a million dollars in boxing and I’ve accomplished everything there is to accomplish in boxing.
“Boxing is so sexist. These men are fighting for multiple millions that haven’t accomplished half of what I accomplished but I’m supposed to just be happy? Like yeah, go ahead and pay me $300k and then offer me $150k for the next fight?”
Shields has captured world titles in three weight divisions.
She captured her first world title at super middleweight, before dropping down to unify the entire middleweight division. And more recently she became a unified champion at junior middleweight.
Shields has been out of the ring since January, when she won a unanimous decision over Ivana Habazin.
A planned Showime televised unification against Marie Eve Dicaire, in May, was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
And then a deal to have UFC Fight Pass stream her bout with Dicaire, in December, fell apart for unknown reasons.