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Claressa Shields says she's done with MMA: 'It was fun, but it was too hard'

Related Topics: Claressa Shields, Ariel Helwani

Don't expect to see boxing star Claressa Shields in the cage again.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist and three-division boxing champion Shields announced that she is officially retired from MMA after just three fights in which she went 2-1. Her most recent appearance came in February 2024 when she scored a split decision win over Kelsey DeSantis at PFL vs. Bellator: Champions at Kingdom Arena in Saudi Arabia.

"MMA is done, sweetheart," Shields said on "The Ariel Helwani Show." "It was fun, but I don't have enough time to train for it. It takes six to eight months just to get ready to defend takedowns.