‘Show me the money’ – Claressa Shields lays out demands for bare-knuckle boxing switch with Conor McGregor

Claressa Shields would require a staggering sum of money to ditch the gloves and fight bare-knuckle.

The original form of boxing is undergoing a huge revival in the modern age.

Claressa Shields has fought in boxing and MMA but she is apprehensive about bare-knuckle boxingCredit: Stephanie Trapp/Salita

Since Jim Freeman and Joe Brown of BKB, now BYB Europe, professionalized the sport in 2015, bare-knuckle boxing has exploded in popularity.

It is now the fastest-growing combat sport in the world and its profile has only been boosted further by Conor McGregor’s involvement.

The former two-weight UFC champion recently became a part owner of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), who are no strangers to signing big names.

Former UFC lightweight title holder Eddie Alvarez and ex-gloved world champions Paulie Malignaggi and Austin Trout have all fought under the promotional banner.

But they could land their biggest signing to date in pound-for-pound queen of women’s boxing, Shields, if the money is right.

Asked if she would consider a move to BKFC, Shields told talkSPORT.com: “I don’t like the idea of fighting with bare-knuckles, it sounds bad coming from me but it is brutal.

“That being said, the fighter spirit in me says that if they come with the right amount of money I will get in there and fight bare-knuckle.

“But it has to be a million dollars or a million and a half. You’ve got to come with a million, I know I’ve got great hands but knowing that someone is going to be punching me with bare knuckles, well just look at this face, this face looks good.

Conor McGregor is a part-owner of bare-knuckle boxing company BKFCCredit: BKFC/FITE

“Are you telling me I’ve got to risk that because you guys want to see me in bare-knuckle and you want to be entertained?

“Listen, I want to be entertained and I want a million dollars to go in there and entertain them.

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“If they’ve got that money for me we can make it happen because I am the best boxer in the world but if you want the best boxer in the world to fight bare-knuckle show me the money, a lot of it.”

Shields, the first two-weight undisputed champion of the four-belt era, has defeated every boxer she has ever faced both as a professional and an amateur.

She has already held world titles at light-middleweight, middleweight and super-middleweight but the 29-year-old is now aiming to become a four-weight world champion by beating WBC heavyweight champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse on July 27.

The fight is being contested at 175lbs (the light-heavyweight limit) and will be for the vacant WBO light-heavyweight title as well.

Lepage-Joanisse previously weighed as high as 231lbs but won her heavyweight belt weighing 173lbs.

Alongside her boxing exploits, Shields is also actively competing in MMA with the Professional Fighters League (PFL).

She won her debut against Brittney Elkin via third-round TKO but lost her second fight to Abigail Montes on points.

In February, Shields returned to pick up a split-decision victory over Kelsey DeSantis and is now expected to face boxing rival Savannah Marshall in her next outing inside the cage.