American boxer Claressa Shields is in active negotiations for a high-profile matchup against British unified welterweight champion Lauren Price after regaining her WBC and WBA middleweight world titles with a sixth-round stoppage of Kaye Scott at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Saturday.
Shields, an undefeated fighter from Flint, Michigan, captured world middleweight titles for the third time in her professional career. Promoter Dmitriy Salita of Salita Promotions confirmed that terms have been agreed with Price's promotional team, BOXXER, in an effort to finalize a clash between the two Olympic gold medallists.
The middleweight division, which carries a 160-pound weight limit in professional boxing, saw Shields dominate her championship fight before stopping Scott in the sixth round. The victory returned the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association titles to Shields, solidifying her standing at the top of the weight class.
Negotiations and Fighter Involvement
Salita stated that discussions between the promotion companies remain active as both sides seek to formalize contracts. "We're working on it as we speak," Salita told Sky Sports. "Our intention is to make the fight. Based on my understanding, we have agreed to all the requests from BOXXER and Lauren's side."
To accelerate the negotiations, Salita invited Price and her representatives to attend the Atlanta event in person, emphasizing that Shields takes an active role in her career decisions. "I invited Lauren and her team to the fight because my relationship with the fighters we promote, and certainly with Claressa, is that they know all the moving parts and are business partners in making these decisions," Salita said.
Salita explained that direct dialogue between the two champions was intended to clear any remaining hurdles. "I wanted Lauren and Claressa to have an opportunity to sit down together and see if there was anything outstanding," Salita said. "Claressa is extremely intelligent and very experienced in making big fights, and I'm sure Lauren is sharp as well. Unfortunately, they weren't able to make it, but the conversations are ongoing and we want to make the fight."
Shields won back-to-back Olympic gold medals for the United States in the middleweight category at London 2012 and Rio 2016 before launching a professional career that included becoming undisputed champion across multiple weight divisions. Price won Olympic gold for Great Britain at the Tokyo Games before turning professional and winning unified world titles at welterweight.
Alternative Fight Options for Shields
Should negotiations with Price fail to produce a contract, Salita noted that alternative opponents are being considered for Shields' next fight. Among the options is Canadian boxer Tamm Thibeault, who holds the WBO and IBF world middleweight titles, offering a potential division-unification bout.
Shields has also been linked with fellow American fighter Mikaela Mayer. Mayer is scheduled to compete in Birmingham on August 29 in a unified world super-welterweight title fight against Chantelle Cameron, broadcast live on Sky Sports.
"Claressa wants to fight the best and be part of the biggest, most impactful events: that's always been clear," Salita said. "There are a few other conversations taking place in case the Lauren Price fight doesn't come together. We'll make a decision soon, but whatever is next, the goal is for it to be another legacy-making moment for Claressa and for boxing."
Star Presence at State Farm Arena
The fight held at State Farm Arena, the 21,000-capacity home venue of the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, attracted major figures from across professional sports and the music industry. Salita noted that interest in attending the event continued up until the main event began.
"It was incredible. We were getting calls and requests from some of the biggest stars in hip-hop, music, boxing and culture right up until the final bell," Salita said. "Usher, Floyd Mayweather, Kevin Gates, Terence Crawford, and the list goes on. The atmosphere was electric."
The ringside audience featured music icons Usher and Kevin Gates alongside multi-division boxing champions Floyd Mayweather and Terence Crawford. Salita highlighted the event as evidence of Shields' crossover appeal: "It was a special night in a packed arena and a real reflection of Claressa's star power and how far her reach has grown beyond boxing."
