Is Claressa ‘T-Rex’ Shields the Greatest Woman Boxer?

Claressa ‘T-Rex’ Shields, the two-time Olympic Gold Medalist with an amateur record of 63-1, losing only to Savanah Marshall, who she would defeat in the pro ranks, is definitely one of the best women boxers in the amateurs.

The question is whether she is the greatest woman boxer ever? In her most recent fight on July 26th, she defended her IBF, WBO, WBF, and WBC world heavyweight titles, defeating IBF World Light Heavyweight champion Lani ‘The Smiling Assassin’ Daniels, 11-2-2. One commentator said ‘Shields is the best woman boxer (either in the world or today). It wasn’t the first time I heard this.

In this writer’s opinion, I disagree with her being the best of all time. I have felt Lucia ‘The Dutch Destroyer’ Rijker 17-0 with 14 stoppages from the Netherlands was the best of all time. She was inducted into the IBHOF. She held the IBO and WIBF World Super Lightweight titles.

Another Ann ‘Brown Sugar’ Wolfe, 24-1 with 16 stoppages, holding the IBA and WIBA World Light Heavyweight champion from Waco, Texas, was the hardest hitting woman boxer in my opinion.

In December of 2018, at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall, Shields decisioned WBC and WBO World Middleweight champion Germany’s Christina Hammer, 24-0 by a rather wide margin. The only thing I remember was that every time Hammer went on the offense, referee Sparkle Lee, also African American, stepped in to prevent her from landing more than a punch or two.

In the dressing room, I told her promoter Tom Loeffler that before entering the dressing room after the fight, and he told me not to tell her that. After he left, I told Hammer ‘you are still the world champion, every time you started landing punches the referee stepped in’.

Hammer didn’t fight again for ten months and only four times after this before retiring against opponents with average records of 12-8-2, 6-3-1, 3-1, and 6-3. Never to fight for a world title again, or get a rematch. Some people would tell me the decision was wide, and why would she get a rematch? They also didn’t agree with the referee’s action.

I could mention others like Laila ‘She Be Stingin’ Ali’ 24-0 world super middleweight champ and Jacqui Frazier Lyde, 13-1. Ali hasn’t fought since 2007, and Shields talks about fighting her, though not fighting in some 18 years. There are others I could mention as well, and hope the readers might mention others in their opinion, the best ever. I look forward to their opinions.