She will leave Rio with a $25,000 gold medal bonus from the U.S. Olympic Committee, and she has a plan: She won’t be going back to live in the city of Flint, where crime rates are high and the economy is a shambles.
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Middleweight boxer Claressa Shields made history earlier today by winning her second straight gold medal in a bout against Nouchka Fontijn of the Netherlands. The middleweight from Flint, Mich., became the first USA boxer to win two golds at the Olympics.
Numerous other medal winners from Rio, a competition overshadowed by a judging furor despite a change in the system, will doubtless re-emerge in the pro ranks – and possibly return now that the Games are open to paid fighters. Although he introduced her to boxing, he believed it was a man’s sport and initially discouraged her from taking it up herself.
“This is for all of Uzbekistan, it is an Independence Day gift to the people who have supported me”, said an emotional Gaibnazarov. As Netherlands’ top female boxer came forward, Shields defences stayed strong, dodging some fierce punches to help establish a commanding lead at the halfway stage.
“The thing about Claressa, when she’s smiling and joking around, that’s when she’s the most unsafe”, he said.
“Because I remember that when I was once one of those kids I didn’t have any hope and when I got just a little bit, look how far I’ve been able to come”, added Shields.
A standing room-only crowd watched Shields’ fight at Flint’s Berston field house, where Shields learned to box.
She did, running her record to 77-1 and her winning streak to 51 fights with a performance she celebrated by running a lap around the boxing ring, a giant American flag trailing her like a kite. The fact that I won every round was wonderful.
Her father was at the ringside in Rio Janeiro on Sunday and she also paid tribute to him, saying he was a constant source support for her.
France’s Tony Victor James Yoka, left, celebrates his gold medal for the men’s super heavyweight over 91-kg boxing with Estelle Mossely, France’s gold medalist for the women’s lightweight 60-kg, at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Aug. 21, 2016.
Shields grew up and trained in Flint – where she bounced between 11 homes by the time she was 12 years old. “Me and Shakur. Building gold medals in the sky, just the two of us”. With hands down as if to say, “you couldn’t hit me if you wanted to”, Shields invites her opponent to do her best. I have a little brother who is 18, and he can be a victim of gun violence.
“I can’t really explain how I feel yet, but I know it’s the hard work that pays off”.
“I’m a two-time Olympic gold medalist!” Every time I go to Florida, I have this overwhelming feeling that I’m happy every day.
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Dusable Lewis said Shields has been contacting him regularly from Rio.
