“She only had that many fights in the professionals, but she got belts,” Shields said during her post-fight interview. “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.”
It is an unusual criticism considering the fighter Shields just beat. Scott entered Saturday’s bout with a 5-1-1 record, meaning she had only seven professional fights herself. At 42, she was also eleven years older than Shields and had never faced anyone remotely comparable to the two-time Olympic gold medalist.
Thibeault’s professional record may be short, but she is not a novice. The Canadian captured gold at the 2022 World Championships, represented Canada at two Olympic Games, and built an extensive international amateur background before turning professional. At 29, she is much closer to her physical prime than the veterans Shields has faced recently.
That pedigree makes Thibeault a compelling rival rather than someone whose brief professional record should automatically count against her.
Shields has spent years operating at a level few women can match, making credible challengers increasingly difficult to find. Her last four opponents have been 42, 38, 39 and 42 years old. Thibeault breaks that pattern.
There is also meaningful hardware on the line. Shields captured Scott’s WBA and WBC middleweight titles Saturday, while Thibeault holds the IBF, WBO and Ring Magazine titles that Shields clearly believes belong in her collection.
If Shields considers herself the division’s rightful No. 1, fighting Thibeault gives her the opportunity to prove it and collect the remaining championships.
Professional experience should not be a serious barrier. Scott had even less of it, yet that did not prevent her from getting the Shields fight.
Thibeault possesses the elite amateur foundation, youth, and unified titles to merit the opportunity. If seven professional fights were enough for Scott, Thibeault’s professional experience is a difficult reason to question her.
