Claressa Shields, an Olympic gold medalist and world champion boxer, has stated that Jake Paul cannot face her in the ring. During a recent CNN interview, Shields stated her complete confidence in her boxing abilities, emphasizing that her years of experience far outweigh Paul’s expertise in influencer boxing.

Shields, considered one of the greatest female boxers in history, rejected the idea of a competitive fight with Paul, who has established his boxing career by defeating former MMA fighters. Despite Paul’s unconventional rise in the sport, Shields is still unimpressed.

“I box like a man,” Shields stated firmly. “My technique, my skills, my training—it’s all on a different level. I’ve been doing this my whole life.”

Shields, who has won two Olympic gold medals and is a multi-division world champion, has been dominant in the sport, winning titles in various weight classes. Paul’s career is centered around high-profile matchups, but Shields believes his experience is significantly inferior to hers. Her remarks validate her reputation as a hard-nosed competitor who resists the internet hype. Shields’ confidence in her abilities is unshaken despite the odds of a fight between them due to boxing’s gender divisions. Whether Paul responds to Shields’ bold claim remains to be seen, but Shields is always prepared to take on any challenge.

Shields Eyes Knockout Power in Heavyweight Showdown

Shields is facing her undisputed heavyweight title bout against Danielle Perkins, not just hypothetical matchups. Even though Shields is undefeated with a record of 15-0 (3 KOs), he still has to prove his knockout power. In her latest fight, she won by TKO, but it was her first stoppage win in almost seven years. Shields thinks that moving up to heavyweight will make her power more apparent.

“I’m way more comfortable fighting at heavyweight than I am at 154 pounds,’’ Shields told USA TODAY Sports. “I always felt very, very strong at 168 pounds, even though I wasn’t getting knockouts. But now that I’m at heavyweight, I’ve seen a huge difference in my power.”

Shields is a clear favorite when she enters the fight. Perkins, at 42, is more than a decade older than Shields, who is 29 and has far less professional boxing experience. Two out of her five wins have been by knockout, and Perkins has a significant size advantage. At 6 feet tall, she is four inches taller than Shields and has fought at weights over 195 pounds, far above Shields’ highest recorded fight weight of 175 pounds.

Before beginning his boxing career, Perkins was a standout basketball player at St. John’s University, where she excelled in blocks and rebounds. Shields quickly reminds everyone that basketball skills are not helpful in the ring.

“I may put Danielle on her back pockets,” Shields said with confidence.

Fighting for More Than a Belt

Sunday’s fight is more important to Shields than the championship. The bout will take place in her hometown of Flint, Michigan, which has shaped her into the fighter she is today.

“Oh, man,’’ Shields reflected. “Being born and raised in Flint, Michigan, instilled a lot of hardcore-ness in me. Not just physically but mentally. Flint has some of the most resilient people—real, humble, hardworking. And we’ve always been counted out, always.’’

Shields will be awarded a $1.5 million purse for the fight and the prestige of defending her titles. The documentary Fire Inside, released in December, highlighted her life and career and established her sports legacy—two gold medals from the Olympics.

Five weight divisions will compete in the world championships. The title of best pound-for-pound female boxing fighter is not formally recognized. Claressa Shields has already made history but is determined to prove she can achieve more.