Claressa Shields banned from MVP events after Baumgardner slap

Most Valuable Promotions has barred Claressa Shields from its events indefinitely after the two-division champion slapped Alycia Baumgardner backstage at Saturday's Rousey-Carano show in Oklahoma City.

The altercation, captured on video, took place in a private VIP area at the venue, BoxingScene reports. Baumgardner fights under the MVP banner. Shields does not.

MVP cites zero-tolerance policy after VIP area incident

In a statement released Sunday, the promotion invoked a zero-tolerance stance on hostile conduct. "MVP does not condone, tolerate, or accept Claressa Shields' behavior in that setting and it reflects poorly on MVP and women's sport, which we have worked tirelessly to uplift," the company said.

The statement added that physical confrontations in a private space with guests present cross the line. "There is a time and place for fighter tension and banter, but to physically attack a fellow athlete while there is a guest inside a private VIP area is unacceptable," MVP wrote.

Shields and Baumgardner have traded barbs on social media in recent months about a potential undisputed welterweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">super welterweight clash. No fight date has been announced.

Source: boxingscene.com