08/14/2026
I’ve followed boxing, men’s and women's for years. It’s one of my favorite sports, and Saturday nights are usually reserved for the big fights. Tomorrow, is facing . Claressa is undefeated and one of the biggest names in women’s boxing. I’m not very familiar with Scott, but she’s had only about seven fights, so, on paper, this looks like a clear advantage for Claressa
What makes the fight interesting is that Claressa is returning to the 160 pound middleweight division after competing at 175 pounds, the women’s heavyweight limit. She fought four times at heavyweight and became undisputed in that division before deciding to move back down. This will be her first middleweight fight in three years, so it will be interesting to see how her strength and conditioning translate at 160 pounds
Of course, Claressa has also attracted a lot of criticism because she seems to be in conflict with everyone, from , to and Glorilla’s sister. At this point, she has accumulated quite a list of rivals
When someone reaches her level, you would hope they would use their platform to demonstrate discipline and composure rather than constantly engaging in public disputes. I understand that it can’t be easy to wake up every day and read people insulting or belittling you. As a 'dark-skinned' Black woman, some of those attacks may feel especially personal, so I can understand the instinct to defend yourself
Still, at some point, you have to decide how you’re going to manage that negativity. Once you become successful, criticism is unavoidable. Singers, athletes, entrepreneurs, anyone visible is going to attract people who want to tear them down. The challenge is learning when and how to respond and when to rise above it
Claressa could use her platform to show women how to handle people with bad intentions. A thoughtful response can be far more effective than an argument. But at 31, constantly shouting, feuding, and battling with people begins to look less like self defense and more like a lack of maturity
Regardless, I wish her well. I’m extremely confident she’ll win tomorrow. The matchup appears so one-sided that, honestly, she may not need luck
