“I can’t wait to fight against Lauren Price at 160,” Shields said after collecting the WBA and WBC middleweight titles.
When asked if Price was the fight she wanted next, Shields made her preference clear and mentioned December or January as a possible timeframe. If Price isn’t available, Shields wants Mayer or Thibeault.
Thibeault also owns championship hardware Shields wants, including The Ring middleweight title. Shields questioned how the Canadian received that championship despite having limited professional experience.
“She only had that many fights in the professionals, but she got belts,” Shields said. “It’s not my fault this girl don’t have the experience that I have. But hey, she got a belt that I know belongs to me, and that’s The Ring belt.”
Professional experience is a curious criticism after Saturday.
Scott was 42 years old and had only seven professional fights before stepping into the ring with Shields. She possessed the WBA and WBC championships despite having a 5-1-1 record and had never faced anyone approaching Shields’ level.
The result was predictable.
Shields controlled the fight before hurting Scott badly in the sixth and forcing the stoppage. It gave Shields her fourth professional knockout and another two championships, but beating Scott didn’t establish anything we didn’t already know about her.
The bigger question is how women’s middleweight boxing reached the point where an opponent with Scott’s age and professional experience owned two major world titles.
Scott isn’t an isolated example of the age issue surrounding Shields’ recent opposition. Shields’ last four opponents have been 42, 38, 39 and 42 years old. Their average age is just over 40.
That isn’t Shields’ fault. She can only fight opponents who exist and are willing to face her. But it demonstrates why fights against Price or Thibeault are more interesting than watching Shields collect additional victories over aging opposition.
Thibeault, in particular, shouldn’t be dismissed simply because her professional career is young. She has extensive amateur experience, and at 29 she represents the kind of prime-age opposition Shields needs if middleweight is going to produce compelling fights.
Price would accomplish much the same thing while bringing considerably more attention.
Shields also revealed that she began training camp at 198 pounds and lost 38 pounds over 14 weeks to make middleweight. She said the cut caused her to conserve energy early against Scott because she wasn’t sure how her strength would feel at the lower weight.
That makes another fight at 160 interesting for a different reason. Shields proved she can still make the division and win there. Now she needs an opponent capable of making the sacrifice worthwhile.
Price or Thibeault would be a good place to start.
