With just a month to go before her 17th professional bout and her first undisputed heavyweight title defense against the 36-year-old Lani Daniels, Claressa Shields has been training hard. But she recently made a stylish pit stop at the 2025 BET Awards, which aired live on June 9th, where she got candid about her relationship with rapper Papoose and how she really feels about him.

The Shade Room dropped a clip of the interview on Instagram with the caption, “ClaressaShields reveals who she believes would win in a fight between she and Papoose…” During the conversation, the interviewers were quick to bring up a video she posted late last month from the gym, where Papoose was seen holding up mitts while Claressa Shields fired off punches with laser focus, clearly deep in fight mode as she prepares for her July 26th clash at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. Watching the rapper hold up pads like a pro for the two-time Olympic gold medalist was impressive, to say the least. So, naturally, the question arose, how much of boxing does Papoose know, and who would actually win in a one-on-one?

“I ain’t really happy with the fact that Papoose knows how to hold the pads,” Claressa Shields said with a laugh. “Out of all the men I have dated, like, I gotta watch this dude. I know you all see him holding the pads for me, but I hold pads for him also. He ain’t never gonna show y’all his sh-t… but it’s one time he almost hit me, and I said Maaannn…. “ she added jokingly. “But he punch really really fast and hard, and I am just happy that he love the sport like I love boxing. So I don’t think I can beat Pap up in a fight, but I also tell him don’t play with me.”

Papoose, who was raised in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, a hotbed for hip-hop legends, has long been respected for his lyrical skills and collaborations with artists like Lil Wayne, Fabolous, and Busta Rhymes. Moreover, he also being the cousin of producer Pi’erre Bourne, boxing wasn’t exactly part of his world until Claressa Shields came into his life in 2024. The bond they’ve built is grounded in shared passion and mutual respect, and fans are definitely noticing.

Claressa Shields didn’t shy away from setting the record straight online either. A few days ago, she posted on X, clapping back at trolls criticizing their relationship. “Y’all need to stop worrying about people that got more money than you..” she wrote. However, this isn’t the first time she’s defended her love life publicly, and knowing Claressa Shields, it probably won’t be the last.

Remember when Claressa Shields confidently posted that she doesn’t have to worry about Papoose cheating? Well, that bold statement stirred up quite a bit of buzz online, and now, she’s clapping back at the trolls.

Claressa Shields slams the “all men cheat” stereotype

Remy Ma, Papoose’s ex, sent shockwaves through social media in 2024 when she revealed that she and Papoose were on the verge of divorce, while also exposing his new relationship with Claressa Shields. But the GWOAT  didn’t let the drama rattle her. In fact, she doubled down on her relationship with Papoose, showing the world just how solid they really are. In a recent social media post, the three-weight undisputed champion shared a smiling photo of herself with Pap, captioned, “All men don’t cheat, my man don’t 😊.” She never mentioned Remy by name, but the message was loud and clear.

Fans immediately took notice, interpreting the post as a subtle but firm clapback. Without getting messy or directly addressing the gossip, Claressa Shields managed to make her stance known, gracefully and confidently. Supporters praised her poise, while critics questioned the timing, especially given how public and emotional the breakup between Remy Ma and Papoose had been. Still, Claressa Shields’ message was simple: she’s unbothered and focused on the love and loyalty she’s found in her new relationship.

And why shouldn’t she be? Despite Papoose’s past relationships and Claressa Shields’ own rocky history with love, the two seem to have found something genuine. With Papoose now backing her both personally and professionally, they appear to be thriving. But as the countdown begins for her next title defense, just a month away, the real question is: can Claressa Shields block out the noise, stay focused, and keep her undefeated streak alive in the ring? What do you think?