Claressa Shields Reveals Common Fact Between Her and 7X World Champion Andre Ward: “He Was the Last Man To…”

A 9-year-old Andre Ward‘s father took him to a boxing gym for the first time and told the coach to teach him how to hit and not get hit in return. Today, we recognize him as one of the number one pound-for-pound fighters globally and a seven-time world champion. His illustrious career spanned from 2004 to 2017, marked by an undefeated record and multiple world titles.

Additionally, Ward’s dominance included unified super middleweight titles from 2009 to 2015 and unified light heavyweight titles from 2016 to 2017. Claressa Shields, while responding to a post about Shakur Stevenson and his Olympics dream, underlined similarities between her and Ward. What parallel did she draw?

Claressa Shields recalls Andre Ward

Some dreams get left unfulfilled and continue to haunt us. Shakur Stevenson, who wanted to follow in the footsteps of his mentor, Ward was disheartened when he was outpointed in the Rio Olympics in 2016. However, a much older Stevenson has learned a few lessons from it. Now, he makes sure he never has to face such a loss again. Ward, the sole American male boxer to secure Olympic gold in the past two decades, concluded his boxing career with his retirement in 2017.

“He was the last man to win an Olympic gold medal. I was the last boxer who had won an Olympic Gold medal for USA” said Shields while reposting the story and lauding the retired boxer. Shields overcame distractions, nerves, and a formidable opponent to make history as the first American boxer to secure consecutive gold medals in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Displaying her prowess in the 75kg division, Shields earned a unanimous decision against Nouchka Fontijn of the Netherlands. She thrilled the spectators at Riocentro as she concluded the US boxing team’s highly successful Olympics.

What is next for T-Rex?

Shields’ promoter, Dmitriy Salita, is open to orchestrating a rematch between her and Savannah Marshall. Last year, Shields avenged a prior amateur loss to Marshall. How? With a hard-fought ten-round decision, winning the undisputed middleweight bout. Marshall, rebounding this year with a decision victory over Franchon Crews-Dezurn, secured the undisputed super middleweight title.

Read More: “My Boxing Career Would Be Just a Memory”: After Giving Cheeky One-Liner Response to Doja Cat’s Social Media Rampage, Claressa Shields Remains Brutally Honest About Serious Repercussions If She Ever Makes This Bold Move

Both fighters, now signed with MMA organization PFL, present the intriguing possibility of a rematch occurring in either boxing or MMA. This adds a layer of complexity to their rivalry, leaving fans eager for a potential showdown in either sport.

The two athletes have made their country proud with their skills and prowess. What do you think of their achievements? Let us know in the comments below.

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