The Bold Boxer

Pro boxer Claressa Shields believes women shouldn't try to fit into a mold. Instead, they need to be unapologetic about who they are. The native of Flint, Mich., is proud of her muscles and the fact that she says what she thinks. "Some people still believe women should be cute, pretty, and soft-spoken," she says. "And then you have me. Yeah, I'm cute and pretty. But I'm not soft-spoken. I'm very powerful. I can fight."

Shields, 24, is the undisputed middleweight champion of the world. She's been boxing since she was 11. Her dad, who boxed in underground leagues, at first opposed her taking up the sport. But eventually she got her wish. "Now, he loves that I box," she says. She won back-to-back gold medals as an amateur in 2012 and 2016. That made Shields the first American boxer, male or female, to win consecutive titles. And since turning pro at 22, she has become one of seven boxers in history to hold all four major world titles.

Even with her dad's support, it wasn't always easy for Shields to find her place in the ring. Again and again, she faced doubters. "Girls aren't supposed to box." "You'll never make any money in boxing." "It's not a career for women." "I've been told all kinds of things, but in my heart, there's something that makes me love boxing. I love training. I love to get in there and perform."

Before bouts, to compete as a middleweight, Shields has to chisel her frame from 180 pounds to 154. At least two to three hours of training a day and a steady diet of hard-boiled eggs, grilled meat and fish, brown rice, and huge amounts of veggies do the trick. "As I train, my energy starts increasing," she says. "I start feeling lighter, faster."

When Shields, whose nickname is T-Rex, gears up for a match, strategy and preparedness are the underpinnings of her power suit. The moment that the champ wraps her wrists and slips on gloves, she's instantly empowered to win. Shields also puts a lot of thought into the thematic fight-night outfits that underscore her larger-than-life persona. "When I walk out with my [queen bee or superhero] suit on, I feel powerful and strong. It puts me in a mindset to accomplish what I set out to do."

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Shields wants to encourage other women to go after their dreams, too, even if they don't think those dreams are attainable. "Don't get discouraged because someone doesn't agree with what you feel," she says. "I try to tell everybody that they shouldn't be afraid to be different."

What's most important is channeling your inner champion. It's what she did. "I followed my heart," she says, "and now I have the best life that I could ever have dreamed of."