Boxer Arturs Ahmetovs Sparks Controversy by Dropping Women's Champion Claressa Shields in Sparring

Boxer Arturs Ahmetovs has caused a stir in the boxing world after posting a video of himself controversially dropping women's champion Claressa Shields during a sparring session.

Shields Accuses Sparring Partner of Tampering with Gloves

Ahmetovs uploaded a clip of Shields accusing an unnamed Russian sparring partner of removing padding from his gloves. The video shows Shields being floored by a left hook and left on her back.

Shields Responds on Social Media

Shields, a two-time Olympian and three-division champion, took to social media to address the video. She doubled down on her accusation, stating that the male fighter who sparred with her was a "punk" for allegedly tampering with his gloves. She also criticized coach Derrick Santos, calling them both "bad for the sport."

Shields added that she refrained from speaking out earlier because she didn't want her opponent to have information about her being dropped before her fight. She questioned why the video had been kept hidden for five years and accused Ahmetovs of trying to gain attention.

Santos Denies Accusations

In the comment section of Ahmetovs' Instagram post, coach Derrick Santos denied Shields' accusations. He stated that they had asked for help to spar and had no intention of sparring with a woman. Santos claimed that no padding was removed from the gloves and that they were handed to Shields' coach after the accusation was made.

Santos went on to explain that during the sparring session, Ahmetovs had been instructed not to hit Shields hard. However, Shields allegedly began talking disrespectfully to him and fouling him to the point of tripping him. Santos emphasized that they were trying to help Shields and that no derogatory comments were made towards her.

The coach also mentioned that the incident occurred years ago and that the video had been kept hidden until now. He suggested that Shields may have caused the incident herself and questioned whether she had posted the video to gain attention.

Ahmetovs and Shields' Boxing Records

Arturs Ahmetovs currently holds a record of 6 wins and 1 loss. He has not fought since 2020.

Claressa Shields, who refers to herself as the "Greatest Women of All Time," has an undefeated record of 14 wins and 0 losses. She recently retained her undisputed middleweight titles in June.