Claressa Shields Fires Back After Remy Ma Calls Alycia Baumgardner “The Face” Of Women’s Boxing
Alycia Baumgardner handled her business on Sunday night, November 8, in Arlington, Texas, beating Elif Nur Turhan by unanimous decision — 100-90 on all three scorecards — to take the IBF lightweight title and become a two-division world champion at MVP 07. Gospel star Kirk Franklin walked her to the ring, and after the win, Baumgardner told reporters exactly where she believes she stands: “I am the face of women’s boxing. I stepped up… I came out victorious, and I’m thankful. It takes a lot of work to get here, and I’m a two-time world champ,” per ESPN.
Then came the moment that set the internet off. During Baumgardner’s post-fight interview in the ring, she was asked if she had anything left to prove — and Remy Ma stepped into the frame, took the microphone, and started shouting that Baumgardner is “the face of women’s boxing,” telling everybody to put some respect on the new champ’s name. Remy was in the building supporting Baumgardner all night, and the two celebrated the win together afterward.
Claressa Shields was not trying to hear any of it. Earlier this week, the undefeated, undisputed heavyweight champion — a two-time Olympic gold medalist and the only fighter in the four-belt era to become undisputed in three different weight classes — answered on X in a post she has since deleted: “Man don’t nobody care about that bitter lady jumping up there and yelling that mess 😂😂 Go play.”
Of course, this one is bigger than boxing. Shields is in a relationship with Papoose, Remy Ma’s estranged husband, and the two women have been trading public words for the better part of two years — so every move one of them makes gets read as a message to the other. Remy crowning a new “face” of the sport Shields has dominated for a decade was never going to slide quietly.
Baumgardner’s résumé is growing fast — two divisions, a fresh IBF strap, and a statement win on a big stage. But Shields’ résumé is still the standard: undefeated, undisputed, Olympic gold twice over, and still calling herself the GWOAT. So let’s settle it — who IS the face of women’s boxing right now: Claressa Shields, Alycia Baumgardner, or somebody else? Sound off in the comments.
Story via The Shade Room.
