Claressa Shields Slams Keith Thurman After His Vicious KO Loss

HIGHLIGHTS

• These two fighters have been going back and forth for years.

• A comment made just days before the fight added fuel to the fire.

• One undisputed champion had no sympathy after Saturday night’s result.

Sebastian Fundora destroyed Keith Thurman on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, and Claressa Shields didn’t hold back with her reaction afterward on X.

Here’s a look at the post:

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Shields and Thurman have history and it doesn’t appear to be a friendly relationship. Just two days before the fight, Thurman responded to Shields calling out Rolly Romero and saying that she can beat him. He called her “a female with an erection,” and cautioned her not to venture into fighting professional male boxers.

What’s the History Between Shields and Thurman?

This isn’t their first dust up. Shields said she was “a better boxer” than Thurman back in 2024. The beef traces back to the morning of the Spence-Crawford fight, when Shields called Thurman out on social media and he responded on the red carpet.

Thurman has maintained that while he respects what Shields has accomplished in women’s boxing, the comparison between men’s and women’s competition isn’t realistic. Shields has never backed down from the claim.

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What Did Shields Say After the Fundora Fight?

On Saturday night, when Thurman was being beaten by Fundora, Shields didn’t hide that she was rooting for the Mexican champion to win. After the TKO came at the end of round six, Shields took to X to twist the knife.

Fundora’s length and combination work overwhelmed Thurman from the opening bell. The stoppage was inevitable by the sixth round with Thurman’s face battered and bloodied.

Is Shields’ Criticism Fair?

Truthfully, the two fighters are in different worlds. We don’t have intergender professional boxing. However, Thurman, even through his inactivity has faced far stiffer competition than Shields — especially of late since she moved up to heavyweight where the pickings are slim for fighters on her level.

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That said, all is fair in war. When two people aren’t fond of one another, there’s liable to be fiery darts. Along with the punches from Fundora, Thurman ate more from Shields on Saturday.