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A16 sports
Wednesday 2 december 2020

Olympic gold medal boxer Claressa Shields begins MMA career

By GREG BEACHAM hasn’t settled on a training
AP Sports Writer regimen or a home MMA
Claressa Shields already gym, but she wants “to
reigns over boxing with two train with some of the best
Olympic gold medals and MMA fighters and coaches
professional titles in three (to) speed up my process,”
weight classes. she said.
Her next world to conquer She has spoken to former
is mixed martial arts. UFC light heavyweight
Shields has signed with champion Jon Jones about
the Professional Fighters training with him in Albu-
League in a quest to be- querque, and she will talk
come the first woman to to other MMA stars about
hold simultaneous titles in training dates. Shields said
both MMA and boxing, she she will rely on her trainers
told The Associated Press to tell her when she’s ready
on Monday. She will make to step into a cage.
her debut next year, and Shields intends to work her
she hopes to have two or way up in competition level
three MMA fights along in 2021 with a series of one-
with two boxing matches off PFL fights. The promo-
during 2021 before she at- tion normally conducts a
tempts to win the PFL title in In this Jan. 10, 2020, file photo, Claressa Shields, right, punches Ivana Habazin during the seventh yearly tournament with a
2022. round of a women’s 154-pound title boxing bout in Atlantic City, N.J. Associated Press $1 million grand prize, and
“I’m not trying to do this for Shields hopes to be in the
show,” Shields told the AP. to-hand combat with the mously changed sports a fight since I was 17 years 2022 field.
“I’m really taking this seri- proper training. and knocked out Ronda old. I’m not here for a good Shields’ last boxing match
ously. I’m not thinking that “I’m not going in here Rousey to win a UFC belt, time. I’m here to make my was in January, but she
just because my hands are knowing I’m going to beat while Conor McGregor par- presence known to every- isn’t quitting that sport: She
better than everybody else these girls just because I layed his UFC success into body I get in the cage with. plans to announce a new
that I’ll win. I’m really go- can outbox them,” Shields one wildly lucrative box- You’re not getting in there date soon for her post-
ing to strengthen the things said. “I’m going to have to ing match with Floyd May- and just fighting against poned junior middleweight
that I’m weak at.” get away from takedowns. weather. a boxer. You’re getting in world title fight with Marie-
Shields realizes she faces Take some kicks. Make Shields’ interest in trying there against one of the Eve Dicaire in which she
a steep learning curve as some kicks. Take some MMA has been rumored greatest women’s combat will attempt to unify four
she prepares to fight as a knees. I have to get used to for years, and she also ex- sports athletes to ever live.” 154-pound championship
155-pound lightweight in getting grabbed, because pressed interest in taking on Shields’ family reacted with belts.
the PFL. She is still relatively in boxing, when a girl grabs UFC champions Amanda varying degrees of disbelief Shields is already the un-
new to jiu-jitsu, wrestling me, I dang near want to Nunes and Cris “Cyborg” when she told them about disputed middleweight
and kickboxing: “I’ve never slam her. Justino in a boxing ring. her decision over Thanks- champion, and she wants
kicked anybody in my life, “I really feel that me against Now that the talk is real, giving. Her mother didn’t to become the first female
not even in a street fight!” any other woman, no mat- Shields is eager to do the believe it, and her sister an- boxer to hold that distinc-
she said. ter what it is, she’s not go- work necessary to make grily warned Shields against tion in two weight classes.
But Shields is a singular ath- ing to be able to beat me.” her bold dreams into real- trying to fight men (that’s Shields is 10-0 as a pro box-
lete with a work ethic to Many fighters have tried ity. not happening) — but her er, and she isn’t worried
match, and she is confi- the move Shields is making “I just want to be great at father and boyfriend both about the time she’ll spend
dent in her ability to mas- in both directions. Cham- everything,” she said. “I were excited for her. on MMA interfering with her
ter other forms of hand- pion boxer Holly Holm fa- hate losing. I haven’t lost Shields, from Flint, Michigan, boxing career.q

Indians RHP Hill undergoes wrist surgery after car accident

By TOM WITHERS joint. The team said surgery went “as
AP Sports Writer expected” and that it does not have
CLEVELAND (AP) — Indians rookie re- any details yet on Hill’s rehab or when
liever Cam Hill underwent surgery on he might be able to pitch.
his right wrist after being involved in a Hill made his major league debut
car accident in Tulsa, Oklahoma. with the Indians on July 26 and got his
Hill shared details of the incident on first save two days later against the
his Instagram account, saying he was Chicago White Sox. The 26-year-old
“very blessed to only bang up my went 2-0 with a 4.91 ERA in 18 games
wrist. Surgery went really well, most with Cleveland.
importantly the others involved in the He made one postseason appear-
accident were all okay.” ance, allowing three runs in Game
Hill also posted a photo of him recov- 1 of the wild-card series against the
ering in his hospital bed with his right New York Yankees.
arm heavily bandaged. He gave a Cleveland selected Hill on the 17th
thumbs up with his left hand. round of the 2014 amateur draft.
Cleveland said Dr. Brian Chalkin, a Hill’s accident came on the same
Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Cam Hill delivers in the ninth inning in
the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Chicago hand specialist, operated Monday day Cleveland sold reliever Adam
White Sox, Tuesday, July 28, 2020, in Cleveland. night on the right-hander’s lunate Cimber to the Florida Marlins for
Associated Press bone, located in the mid-carpal $100,000.q