![Claressa Shields (pictured) reacts to viral Olympic boxing moment. [Image courtesy: @claressashields on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/08/1e954-17225376426507-1920.jpg)
![Claressa Shields (pictured) reacts to viral Olympic boxing moment. [Image courtesy: @claressashields on Instagram]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Olympics often create several topics of controversy but few have gained more attention recently than the women's boxing events in 2024. Qualifying fights in the Olympics hardly receive mainstream attention but on Aug. 1, all the attention was on Angela Carini's loss to Imane Khelif.
With the visual of Carini crying in the ring, thousands of fans and fighters chimed in with support for the Italian boxer, including undisputed light heavyweight champion Claressa Shields.
Shields tweeted:
"Just did an interview with Fox News about this! And I'm taking a stand! Women should fight against women, men fight against men and transgenders fight against transgenders! This is ridiculous and I'm heartbroken for the women boxers at the Olympics."
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After taking just one punch, Carini signaled to the referee to stop the fight and lost by TKO in just 46 seconds. The result would have raised eyebrows on its own but caused outrage from the public with her opponent, Khelif, already receiving criticism for being allowed to compete.
Khelif is one of two athletes competing in the Olympics under accusations of having male chromosomes, which has been refuted by the IOC. China's Lin Yu-Ting is also receiving attention for the same reason. Both fighters reportedly failed a gender test from the IBA, but the IOC states these tests were without due process and were arbitrary.
Claressa Shields' Olympic resume
Nicknamed 'The GWOAT', many consider Claressa Shields as the best female boxer of all time as a 15-0 undefeated multi-divisional champion. Her legacy began before she even debuted as a professional with a decorated amateur career highlighted by two Olympic gold medals.
In the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, Shields made history by becoming the first American woman to win a gold medal in boxing. Four years later, Shields would defend her position by winning another gold medal.
Three months after returning from Rio de Janeiro in 2016, Claressa Shields made her professional debut against Franchon Crews-Dezurn. Her first world title belt would come the following year in just her fourth professional fight against Nikki Adler.
