The G.W.O.A.T is back in the ring in August and she’s taking on a couple of challenges in her return. Claressa Shields is dropping back down in weight, which may not be an easy task for an athlete who has become accustomed to competing in a bigger division. And Shields is facing Kaye Scott, a woman who knows she’s being seen as a walkover opponent, but who is determined to prove otherwise. Let’s talk boxing.
- Date: Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026
- Venue: State Farm Arena, Atlanta
Streaming: DAZN, from 9 p.m. ET
Titles: WBC and WBA middleweight, held by Scott
Records: Shields 18-0, 3 KOs · Scott 5-1-1
Promoter: Salita Promotions
Titles: WBC and WBA middleweight, held by Scott
Records: Shields 18-0, 3 KOs · Scott 5-1-1
Shields challenges unified WBC and WBA middleweight champion Scott on Saturday, Aug. 15 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, with Salita Promotions announcing the card and DAZN streaming live beginning at 9 p.m. ET.
The event is presented by Salita in partnership with Wynn Records, Claressa Shields Promotions and Route 30 Promotions, with Zeus Network as presenting sponsor, and it marks the first women’s headliner in State Farm Arena history. It is also Shields’ first professional appearance in Atlanta.
Unlike most of her fights, Shields is the challenger in this one.
Scott holds the WBC and WBA middleweight belts. The IBF and WBO versions belong to fellow Australian Desley Robinson, which means Aug. 15 is not for the undisputed championship. Shields is instead using it as the opening step back toward undisputed status at 160 pounds.
Scott, 42, of New South Wales, won the vacant WBC and WBA titles by majority decision over Olivia Curry on Dec. 20, 2025 at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, a rematch of a September meeting that ended in a majority draw. She represented Australia at three Commonwealth Games and took silver at the 2016 world championships.
Shields, 31, is the current undisputed heavyweight champion and a two-time Olympic gold medalist who has been undisputed in three divisions. Her last middleweight bout came in 2023 against Maricela Cornejo, and her last three fights have all been at heavyweight. She most recently beat Franchon Crews-Dezurn by unanimous decision in February at Little Caesars Arena.
Shields is seemingly moving closer to a clash with Mikaela Mayer or perhaps a long-awaited rumble with Cris Cyborg. Both would be major money fights for Shields, but neither is realistic above 160 pounds.
Shields has said she can make weight comfortably without losing power, noting she was undisputed twice at 160 when she was not yet at her strongest. She is also attempting to become just the second heavyweight champion in more than 120 years, male or female, to win a world title in a lower weight class.
That said, we’re lying to ourselves if we don’t recognize the level of Shields’ competition. It’s not great. That’s not Shields’ fault entirely. Most of the great women’s boxers are in lower weight classes. Shields would need to show great discipline to remain in their weight region to have the big fights many crave to see in women’s boxing. There’s no question she is the biggest name in women’s boxing — at least in America. Katie Taylor could challenge her for the mythical global crown. In any case, if we’ve ever going to see Shields in against women whose skills are anywhere close to her, it’s going to come at 154 pounds or lower.
The question is: can Shields make that weight? Time will tell.
Middleweight Troy Isley, 16-0 with six knockouts, faces Hicks, 12-1 with seven knockouts, in a bout carrying real amateur history: Isley lost to Hicks at the 2020 Olympic Trials before taking his place on the U.S. team on ranking. In the co-feature, 2024 Puerto Rican Olympian Ashleyann Lozada, 4-0, meets Paulette Cuesta, 19-5-1. WBC junior lightweight titleholder Caroline Veyre also makes her first defense on the card.
Tickets are available through State Farm Arena and Ticketmaster.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
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