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Most Valuable Promotions Takes Aim at Claressa Shield's Star Power

MVP's Amanda Serrano is also a major player in women's boxing who has had an amazing career
Claressa Shields
Claressa Shields | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

MVP and Salita promotions are engaging in a social media war of words over who is the face of women’s boxing.

It all started when Salita Promotions, the promoter of Claressa Shields, tweeted recently that “Numbers don’t lie. The face of women’s boxing is undeniable: Claressa “The GWOAT” Shields.”

The tweet featured social media statistics, which included 38.3 million total impressions as well as 35.1 million views and 2.3 million total engagements from her most recent event.

Claressa Shields (19-0, 4 KOs) made good on her threats, defeating unified middleweight champion Kaye Scott (5-2-1) of Australia by sixth-round TKO on Aug. 15 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The victory gave Shields the WBA and WBC middleweight titles and extended her unbeaten professional record.

It was a crossover event, however, with two key celebrity fights as well.

Singer and actor Orlando Brown took on singer Ray J in a three-round exhibition. Elsewhere, Zeus Network stars Tesehki and Big Lex went toe-to-toe in a three-round fight billed as the “Pound for Pound Baddie Showdown.” Big Lex ultimately won that “title” by unanimous decision.

Those events surely helped boost the social media engagement for the card, but MVP took quick exception to the idea that Shields has become the cynosure of women’s boxing.

“So were saying whoever has the most impressions, views and engagements is the face of women’s boxing?” they tweeted back. "MVP Promotions analytics team to respond to the claim. "Amanda Serrano’s last event that featured only professional boxing. Loading..."

Dmitry Salita, the CEO of Salita Promotions, clapped back with a thoughtful response.

“Competition is good for women’s boxing. This post was simply celebrating Claressa’s incredible performance and was not intended to diminish the importance of work MVP is doing for women’s boxing.”

If i had one wish...

MVP and Salita Promotions can debate the numbers – and it's good for boxing. However, both figures are self-reported. Celebrity boxer Jake Paul has made an incredible business move by swooping in to sign major talent in women’s boxing. His stable is a matchmaker's dream for potentially big fights. I would hope any rivalry between the two biggest players in women’s boxing will not prevent the big fights from getting made.

Jake Paul
Jake Paul | Esther Lin / Most Valuable Promotions

This week the world has mourned the loss of Dolly Parton. Parton became the face of women’s country music, rising from humble origins. Yes, she was able to work the scene in Nashville, but she brought the bacon home to Eastern Tennessee – to Appalachia.

Shields is like Dolly Parton. She has forged her own legitimate path. We can debate the social media numbers, but there is no denying that Shields effectively sold out Georgia's biggest arena.

She is now a proven draw, not only in Michigan but in the South as well. Parton made herself, and Shields has made herself part of hip-hop culture. Having Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Terrence Crawford helped he case as well.

Her record speaks for itself: two Olympic gold medals, a 19-0 professional record, titles in five divisions and undisputed championships in three—a four-belt-era first for any boxer, male or female.

Amanda Serrano is also an amazing fighter whose accomplishments are second to none, but she is clearly in the twilight of her career.

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Published
Joseph Hammond
JOSEPH HAMMOND

Joseph Hammond is a veteran sports journalist with extensive experience covering world championship fights across three continents. He has interviewed legendary champions such as Julio César Chávez, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Gennady Golovkin, Oscar De La Hoya, and Bernard Hopkins, among many others. He reported ringside for KO On SI in 2024 for the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk bout in Riyadh - the first undisputed heavyweight championship in 24 years.

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