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CA: The 2023 ESPY Awards – Arrivals Claressa Shields arrives at The 2023 ESPY Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. Los Angeles CA USA NOxUSExINxGERMANY PUBLICATIONxINxALGxARGxAUTxBRNxBRAxCANxCHIxCHNxCOLxECUxEGYxGRExINDxIRIxIRQxISRxJORxKUWxLIBxLBAxMLTxMEXxMARxOMAxPERxQATxKSAxSUIxSYRxTUNxTURxUAExUKxVENxYEMxONLY Copyright: xSipaxUSAx Editorial use only sipausa_47309944

via Imago
CA: The 2023 ESPY Awards – Arrivals Claressa Shields arrives at The 2023 ESPY Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. Los Angeles CA USA NOxUSExINxGERMANY PUBLICATIONxINxALGxARGxAUTxBRNxBRAxCANxCHIxCHNxCOLxECUxEGYxGRExINDxIRIxIRQxISRxJORxKUWxLIBxLBAxMLTxMEXxMARxOMAxPERxQATxKSAxSUIxSYRxTUNxTURxUAExUKxVENxYEMxONLY Copyright: xSipaxUSAx Editorial use only sipausa_47309944
Three-division undisputed champion Claressa Shields is a relentless force in the ring, but outside of it, she has a much softer side. The only female boxer to achieve undisputed status in the heavyweight division recently took to social media after a clip of her last opponent, Danielle Perkins, started making the rounds online.
So, what was in the clip? It captured the moment Perkins was knocked down in the 10th round of her fight against Shields. Although ‘T-Rex’ Shields secured a dominant unanimous decision victory, the footage became a source of embarrassment for Perkins as fans flooded social media with jokes at her expense.
Claressa Shields claims Danielle Perkins is better than her prior opponents
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Earlier today, an X user shared the clip with the caption, “Damn #claressashields almost ended her life 😵.” The post quickly gained traction, with commenters piling on. However, Shields stepped in to defend Perkins.
Damn #claressashields almost ended her life 😵 pic.twitter.com/AUuZYhhrq4
— gossip of the city (@gotcitytea) February 3, 2025
“Mannnn Danielle was strong as hell! I think she a knock a few of my previous opponents out! I see why Hanna Gabriels ducked her,” Shields wrote. Despite her efforts, the online banter didn’t let up, with Perkins remaining the subject of widespread ridicule.
Fans refuse to have mercy on Perkins
Boxing is no stranger to knockouts and knockdowns, but Perkins’ moment seems to have drawn more attention than most—unfortunately, not in her favor. One user wrote, “Combat sport mfs are different bc you couldn’t pay me to get popped in my dome like that AT WORK, like how this is yo job?? 😭😭😭.” Although, you have to commend Perkins’ bravery for taking the fight against Shields, who has a lot more experience than her.
Meanwhile, this user couldn’t stop laughing after watching the clip. The user added, “I just got the best laughs out of this thread 😭😭😭.” Notably, despite the knockdown, the fight ended with a points win for Shields.
The next user came with a witty joke. The user commented, “She was nearly fast-forwarded to her 50th birthday… She’s 42.” Interestingly, it’s rare for boxers to keep fighting at 42 years old, which may have also slowed Perkins down.
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Mannnn Danielle was strong as hell! I think she a knock a few of my previous opponents out! I see why Hanna Gabriels ducked her!
— Claressa Gwoat Shields (@Claressashields) February 3, 2025
Someone else continued the barrage of jokes aimed at Perkins. The user wrote, “She hit her so hard she hurt her feelings.” However, given Perkins’ short boxing career, it was undeniably impressive that she managed to go the distance in the fight.
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One user felt Perkins was left contemplating her life choices after the knockdown. The user claimed, “Sis was questioning her life choices. 😂🤣 Boss up! 😎” But it’s more likely that Perkins was just dazed from the punch.
That said, despite taking the fight to the distance Danielle Perkins has become the laughingstock among fans after suffering a knockdown against Claressa Shields. Even Shields coming to her defense could not stop the barrage of jokes from fans. Do you think Perkins deserved the ridicule?
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Debate
Does the online banter about Danielle Perkins' knockdown cross the line from humor to disrespect?
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What’s your perspective on:
Does the online banter about Danielle Perkins' knockdown cross the line from humor to disrespect?
Have an interesting take?