Claressa Shields is defending her actions after a physical confrontation with Alycia Baumgardner at a Most Valuable Promotions event in California, an incident that has now led to Shields being banned from future MVP events.
The altercation took place during MVP’s inaugural MMA event in Inglewood, California, over the weekend. Video circulating online showed Shields and Baumgardner exchanging words in a VIP area before Shields appeared to slap Baumgardner during the confrontation.
In a statement released Tuesday, Most Valuable Promotions announced Shields is “banned from all MVP events until further notice,” calling the incident unacceptable and damaging to the image of women’s sports. The company said there is “a time and place for fighter tension and banter,” but condemned physical violence outside sanctioned competition.
Shields later addressed the incident on social media, arguing that Baumgardner initiated the hostility. According to reports, Shields claimed Baumgardner threatened her before the situation escalated and accused her rival of “playing the victim” afterward.
Baumgardner publicly rejected that characterization. In a statement posted to X, she described the incident as an unprovoked assault and said the matter would be handled “legally and professionally.” She also criticized what she called a “pattern of hostility” surrounding Shields’ public behavior.
The clash is the latest chapter in a long-running feud between the two champions, who have traded insults publicly for years despite competing in different weight divisions. Shields is the undisputed women’s heavyweight champion and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, while Baumgardner currently holds major titles at super featherweight.
The suspension could complicate Shields’ relationship with MVP, one of boxing’s most influential promoters in women’s boxing. Analysts have noted that the ban may also affect potential future appearances tied to the promotion’s growing roster of female fighters.
