“Not Ashamed to Say”: Claressa Shields Opens Up on Depression; Shares Incredible Transformation Through ‘Rough Time’

Ahead of her MMA return against Kelsey DeSantis on February 24th, Claressa Shields publicly revealed that she struggled with depression last year. In this process, the 28-year-old, who signed a multi-year agreement with the PFL in August last year, also shared a photo of herself from December 2023 to exhibit the weight she had gained. Frankly speaking, in the picture, Sheilds barely looked like a professional athlete.

However, Shields boasted of the fact that she finally overcame all the obstacles to prepare for the match against Kelsey for ‘PFL Champions vs. Bellator Champions’. In doing so, the two-time undisputed boxer thanked god and continued inspiring her fans in the sport.

Claressa Shields boasts of jaw-dropping transformation

According to the latest post by Claressa Shields, the undisputed Middleweight champion went into depression after her last fight against Maricela Cornejo last year. While the 28-year-old, who recently lauded Keyshawn Davis for openly speaking about his struggle with mental health issues, did not go into the details, she mentioned that ‘T-Rex’ stopped working out and eating healthy food. As a result, Shields gained weight and went out of shape. Taking to X, sharing a photo from December last year, Shields wrote that she was “not ashamed” to admit she had gone through a “rough time“. However, she was proud of herself. “Y’all I had let myself go for months. Not eating healthy, fighting depression, hormonal issues, not drinking my water & not working out,” she wrote.

“In October I defeated depression and started taking back over my life! This first pic is Early December, 2nd pic is from TODAY! It was not easy…. But with God!” Shields added. Certainly, the transformation is inspirational. And now that Claressa Shields is back in fighting shape, fans cannot wait to see her return to MMA against Kelsey DeSantis this February.

Shields just wants to prove her potential in MMA

Returning to MMA against Kelsey DeSantis, Claressa Shields just wants to show that she has an aptitude for fighting. In addition, the boxer-turned-mixed-martial-artist hoped she would eventually compete for a world title in MMA. “I believe in a year or two I will be fighting for a world title,” said Shields. “I just want to come back and show that boxers can do MMA and that I have the potential to be a PFL world champion one day,” Shields emphasized.

Read More – ‘How Insecure This Generation of Men Are!’: Claressa Shields Lauds Alicia Keys’ Husband’s Response to Super Bowl LVIII Performance Controversy

With that said, what do you think of Claressa Shields’ impressive transformation? What are your views about combat sports athletes opening up about mental health issues in public? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

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