Why Is The Internet So Mad At Claressa Shields?

The truth is, Claressa Shields is undefeated in the ring. That’s not branding, it's a fact. Two-time Olympic gold medalist. Multi-division world champion. Widely regarded as the greatest female boxer of all time. Still, none of that has shielded her from public scrutiny.

Lately, she’s been trending not for her training or defending her titles, but for her relationship with rapper Papoose, who is still legally married to Remy Ma. Since going public, the couple has faced intense backlash. She’s been called naive, thirsty, embarrassing, and worse. Social media has turned her relationship into a sensation, picking apart her looks, posts, tone, and future plans as if her personal life were public property.

The conversation isn’t just about Papoose. It’s about who people think Claressa is allowed to be. A woman in love? Too loud. A woman dreaming about marriage and children? Too fast. A woman who dares to show joy? Too much.

It would be easy to dismiss the outrage as standard celebrity gossip. What follows is not a defense. It’s not a condemnation. It can be a reminder that Claressa Shields is one of the most accomplished athletes of her generation. What’s happening to her right now says a lot more about the public than it does about her.

The murmurs started long before confirmation of a romance. However, once Papoose and Shields announced they were together, they were strong out of the gate. Some saw them as an odd pairing, not because it seemed far-fetched, but because the rapper had a wife.

That history carries weight. Papoose and Remy were positioned as an emblem of Black love and longevity in Hip Hop. When Remy served time in prison, he waited for her release. He wrote songs about her. He visited consistently. For years, their image was held up as a kind of blueprint of two artists, committed to each other, riding through everything. That image made the situation with Claressa feel, to many, like a betrayal, even if Remy herself has reportedly moved on.

Still, the frustration aimed at Claressa hasn’t been about betrayal alone. It’s been about tone. The way she talks about the relationship has made people uncomfortable. She doesn’t hide her feelings. Shields speaks clearly and confidently, without shame, just because people expect her to. She hasn’t hidden her sentiments or softened the language. People believe she's counted her chickens before they've hatched. Because of this, Shields has been regarded as being childish or immature.

In a summer 2025 interview on The Pivot Podcast, Shields spoke about her future with Papoose and her intention to start a family in 2026. She said she and Papoose had already planned to have a child this year and didn’t want to wait until later in life to raise kids while still physically active. She also added that she wants to balance motherhood with her boxing career.

She hasn’t denied what people already know, but she also hasn’t let it silence her. For some, that’s the real issue. It’s not the timeline but the audacity. The way she loves out loud and speaks without remorse. Then the narrative shifts to unverified rumors and gossip claiming Papoose is not truly interested in her at all.

Her name belongs in history books, not just gossip threads. Claressa Shields is the most accomplished female boxer alive, and one of the most dominant athletes of her generation—male or female. She is the first American boxer—again, male or female—to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals. Further, Shields has unified entire divisions and holds titles in multiple weight classes. Her rise wasn’t a fluke. It was built match by match, decade by decade. She’s walked into arenas around the world and walked out untouched. In the world of boxing, there is no debate regarding her dominance.

And yet, lately, that legacy has been buried beneath commentary that treats her like she’s new to celebrity, as if she hasn’t already carried women’s boxing through multiple eras. Like she hasn’t earned the right to enjoy a personal life or speak publicly about her dreams without the world demanding silence in return.

The scrutiny she faces now is rooted in perception. There's a discomfort with seeing a Black woman succeed on her own terms, especially one who doesn’t soften her edges to make other people feel comfortable. Still, the facts don’t change. She’s still undefeated and breaking records. While people debate whether she deserves the happiness she seems to have found for herself, she's already made her place in history.

If Shields had said nothing, if she kept the relationship quiet, declined interviews, and smiled politely when asked about her future, she wouldn’t be trending. The internet might’ve whispered, but it wouldn’t have attacked. The outrage isn’t just about who she’s dating and how she's publicly spoken about it, but how freely she talks about it.

A man is still legally married, with public rumors that haunt him and his ex. It's a timeline that doesn’t make sense to those watching from the sidelines. Claressa isn’t following the script they’ve written for her, and for that, she’s being dragged.

Meanwhile, there’s no collective outrage aimed at Papoose. He isn’t facing the same pressure to explain the state of his marriage or why he’s building a new relationship before the last one has legally ended. The blame falls on her. She’s called desperate. Her future planning is delusional. Their relationship is labeled as disrespectful.

Claressa isn’t married, but she’s criticized for speaking about family. She’s never hidden her intentions, but people act shocked when she repeats them. She hasn’t asked for anyone’s approval, yet the public demands that she earn it.

Shields has a fight coming up on February 22 against Franchon Crews-Dezurn in Detroit. It's another chance to extend her undefeated record and one more opportunity to show the world what it means to dominate your lane. Instead of preparing in peace, she’s fielding memes and responding to critics, including 50 Cent.

Last week, Fif inserted himself into the conversation, mocking her appearance and relationship in a meme that circulated fast. It was unprovoked and unnecessary, but all too familiar for the media mogul. He later apologized, a rare move, saying he respected her as a fighter and wanted her to focus on her next match. Yet, the damage, as usual, had already been done.

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That’s the double bind. Claressa is expected to defend her titles and withstand the scrutiny. She's supposed to smile through the shade and clap back without being called angry. She shows up anyway and reminds whoever is listening that her confidence will only increase, and she'll never minimize herself for anyone. Somehow, in expressing that, the attacks come in stronger.

Will her relationship with Pap last? Who knows, and ultimately, it isn't any of our business. Still, the strange narrative circulating about her is odd to watch, as people shrink her into being the other woman without good sense, without recognizing she's a woman navigating a high-profile relationship with complicated details. And that's the least interesting thing about her.

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