Boxing icon Claressa Shields recently utilized social media to deliver her assessment regarding the high-profile UFC 334 co-main event featuring women’s bantamweight titleholder Kayla Harrison and MMA legend Amanda Nunes.

While Shields offered high praise to both elite athletes, she emphasized that Nunes could have finally encountered a rival equal to her dominance in Harrison.

Essential Details on the UFC 334 Harrison vs. Nunes Showdown

Harrison captured the championship via submission against Julianna Peña at UFC 316 in June 2025, an event where Nunes made a dramatic Octagon appearance to signal her return to the sport. Their highly anticipated clash serves as the co-main attraction for Saturday's blockbuster fight card at Madison Square Garden, supporting the heavyweight championship bout between Ciryl Gane and Josh Hokit.

Understanding Claressa Shields’ Bond With Kayla Harrison

Shields and Harrison possess remarkably similar and elite athletic backgrounds. Both competitors secured prestigious Olympic gold medals for the United States during the 2012 and 2016 Summer Games, with Shields dominating in the boxing ring and Harrison conquering the judo mat.

Shields also ventured briefly into mixed martial arts, performing under the Professional Fighters League banner. During her transition, she trained alongside former boxing and UFC champion Holly Holm.

Refining her craft at JacksonWink MMA based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Shields competed in three professional MMA bouts spanning from 2021 through 2024. Meanwhile, Harrison claimed two PFL tournament championships prior to inking her UFC contract in 2024.

Has Claressa Shields Previously Challenged Amanda Nunes?

For several years, Shields has teased the prospect of a high-profile crossover fight against Nunes. She initially pitched both boxing and mixed martial arts encounters with Nunes back in 2019, followed by a March statement expressing interest in an exhibition boxing match.

Absolutely. That would be a good one

Meanwhile, Cris Cyborg—who surrendered her UFC championship belt to Nunes in 2018—criticized Shields' MMA capabilities last October and backed Nunes to emerge victorious at UFC 334.

Milestones in Shields and Nunes' Crossover History

  • 2019: Pitched multi-sport boxing and MMA crossover bouts against Nunes
  • March 2026: Expressed readiness to square off against Nunes in an exhibition boxing contest
  • November 2026: Analyzed the upcoming Harrison versus Nunes matchup ahead of UFC 334

What Lies Ahead for Claressa Shields?

Having stepped away from mixed martial arts competition, Shields has turned her attention entirely to her storied boxing career, standing widely as the most decorated female boxer of all time.

Her most recent trip to the ring occurred in August, resulting in a victory over Kaye Scott.

Negotiations recently took place for Shields to meet Chantelle Cameron in what would have ranked among the most monumental bouts in women's boxing history. Regrettably, those discussions stalled, paving the way for Cameron to face Mikaela Mayer on the undercard of the Jake Paul versus Cedric Doumbe event scheduled for Christmas Eve.

Cameron addressed potential weight class discrepancies for a prospective bout against Shields last September. The upcoming rematch places Cameron's WBA, WBC, and WBO super welterweight belts at stake following her previous unanimous decision victory over Mayer.