Often 'the greatest' is very subjective, and in boxing it is no different: longest career, most wins, most KO's, most belts and medals? No matter who you put up front, somebody will tell you you're wrong. But let's give it a try at least.
The only boxer in history to hold all four major league titles - WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF - in three weight classes.
Champion in five different classes.
Eighteen gold medals, including two Olympic medals.
First American to win two consecutive gold medals in Olympic boxing.
First woman to win an Olympic gold in women's boxing.
It was at the age of 11 that Flint, Michigan born Shields first entered into the ring (under the supervision of her father, who had been in underground leagues), and began the journey life had in store for her; she had initially wanted to start earlier, but her father would not allow it until she was older. It was her grandmother who kept pushing her, and to not accept 'no' because she was female.
But her start to life had been one that no child should ever have to go through. Raped at the age of five, a stammer until the age of nine, and an extremely difficult relationship with her alcoholic mother (her father was in jail from when she was two and was not released for seven years); some days she and her siblings would not eat, and she did not have a bed she could call her own.
She quickly met, Jason Crutchfield, who was to become her coach and trainer, and at the of 15 received her first gold medal at the US National Junior Olympics. Then at 17, her first Olympic gold.
Shields fought her way through childhood, then through her teens, and achieved spectacular results throughout her career all through adversity and perseverance.
She still fights and is now in the MMA, after signing a multi-year deal. She was recently charged with a marijuana positive test despite a more thorough test being taken and coming back as negative; she is now currently only suspended in the state of Michigan, and rightfully fighting to overturn this falsehood.
