Shields claims Cyborg rejected $2 million Saudi offer to box at 154 pounds

Claressa Shields has revealed that a lucrative Saudi-backed boxing match with Cris Cyborg fell apart after Cyborg allegedly declined a $2 million offer to fight at 154 pounds.

Speaking to TMZ Sports, Shields said the deal would have paid her $3 million and Cyborg $2 million, with funding coming from a Saudi promoter. “She turned $2 million already back when a guy from Saudi had $3 million for her,” Shields said. “Well, $3 million for me and $2 million for her and we could [do that at] 154 [pounds]. She turned it down and that’s back when we were cool.”

Shields says the two are no longer on good terms, and she believes the falling-out traces back to a sparring session between them — one she claims to have won convincingly. “I think she don’t like me because I whooped her a*s in sparring,” Shields said. “I had every round when we sparred and I know for a fact she was a deer in headlights. I beat her. Yeah. Yes. It was easy work.”

Shields added that Cyborg’s team later assembled an edited video clip from the session, which she alleges was put together at Cyborg’s request and did not reflect the full picture of what happened.

The comments come shortly after Shields finished Kay Scott to claim the WBA and WBC female middleweight titles, further cementing her status as one of boxing’s most decorated active fighters. Cyborg, meanwhile, most recently competed in MMA, defeating Ketlen Vieira under the Professional Fighters League banner.

Whether the cross-combat-sport boxing match can be revived remains unclear. Shields has not indicated that a new offer is on the table, and no response from Cyborg’s camp has been reported.