Shields' Camp Says Price Fight Is Close

Claressa Shields and Lauren Price have been circling each other for months, as the GWOAT made it clear she wants the fight.

Shields is currently scheduled to face Kaye Scott next month, but promoter Dmitry Salita stated that the Price fight remains the priority and that negotiations are continuing in parallel.

"I believe we're close. Claressa is moving down to 160 pounds because she wants to make this fight happen. She's already accomplished so much but she's always looking for the biggest global fights. Lauren is an outstanding fighter and an Olympic gold medalist. This is one of the biggest fights that can be made in women's boxing and we're confident it will happen,” Salita

The willingness to move down in weight is a significant concession from Shields. She has spent her career operating at 154 and 160 pounds primarily, and agreeing to a specific weight to accommodate negotiations signals genuine intent rather than posturing.

Price's side of the equation is less publicly defined. The Welsh fighter last competed in April, winning a wide decision over Stephanie Pineiro Aquino, and currently has nothing scheduled. The open calendar is either an opportunity or a signal of complications on her end, depending on what is actually happening behind the scenes.

The combination of Olympic pedigree on both sides, the transatlantic dimension, and the self-proclaimed GWOAT narrative Shields carries into every fight gives the matchup marketing legs that most women's boxing events cannot replicate.

Shields, in the meantime, is focused on Scott and preparing to perform in a way she described as worthy of the GWOAT designation she has given herself. The Price fight is the goal, but Scott is what comes first.