Fighting battles inside the ring is tough—but fighting outside the ropes? That’s a whole different kind of brawl. And no one knows that grind better than Deion Sanders. He’s been Shedeur’s rock through the media frenzy, shielding him from the cocky labels, and stood firm by Shilo during his grueling bankruptcy ordeal. But this time, Coach Prime is throwing his weight behind someone else—a 30-year-old boxing champion fresh out of a suspension mess. And when Prime moves, it’s never just for show.

Deion Sanders just pulled off a perfectly timed power play, gifting Claressa Shields an early birthday present. On March 17th, as the MMA fighter and boxing champ celebrated her 30th, Coach Prime’s magic intervened. She was featured on his podcast, “We Got Time,” showcasing her boxing prowess. A short clip, captioned “TODAY WAS CRAZY!!! Got to meet the ultimate motivator and be on his podcast,” quickly went viral. Prime himself posted a reel of their bare-fisted sparring session, prompting Shields to hype it up, commenting, “Aww mannnn you done posted the GWOAT!!! Nothing but 🐐.”

This celebration comes as Claressa Shields dodged a major blow from the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission. She took to X, proclaiming, “Officially unsuspended! But y’all are a little quiet! You all were really loud about me ‘supposedly’ smoking mar-juana and being suspended! No worries! And still an undisputed heavyweight champ! I have the order to prove it!!!” A sigh of relief after months of relentless fighting! But the battle isn’t over…..

The commission’s decision didn’t dismiss the formal complaint. Meaning, she could still face a fine, or worse, have her victory revoked. If that happens, she’ll lose her belts, and her hard-earned legacy could be tarnished.

The champion entered the ring, dominated, and walked away with all the major heavyweight titles. But before she could bask in her triumph, a setback struck. It all started after Shields defeated Danielle Perkins on February 3rd at Flint’s Dort Financial Center, unifying the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO titles. A post-fight dr-g test revealed 3.4 ng/ml of marijuana in her system, and WADA slapped her with a provisional suspension.

Claressa Shields wasn’t about to take it lying down. She pointed to her clean pre-fight tests, insisted she doesn’t smoke, and blamed the positive result on “residual” exposure to secondhand smoke. Enter Victor Conte, the infamous BALCO PED guy, who dismissed the test result as an “ultra-trace amount which likely came from second-hand smoke in the arena.” Shields was blunt: “They asked, was I around someone that was smoking? Yeah, the Dort Federal. Everyone was in there smoking, girl.” Despite the uproar, her legal team’s swift action, presenting evidence on March 6th, led the Michigan commission to lift her suspension by March 14th.

So, what’s next for Claressa Shields? She’s cleared for now, but the lingering complaint means she’s still walking a tightrope. She needs to clear her name completely to protect her legacy. And with Deion Sanders in her corner, she’s got a powerful ally. Will Shields emerge from this ordeal stronger than ever?

Claressa Shields’ next move

Claressa Shields won her suspension battle, but the reputational damage is undeniable. She’s clearly fed up with fighting what she sees as false allegations. “After what I’ve been through, I’m thinking about leaving the country, starting a boxing program in Africa, and opening a school for underprivileged kids,” she tweeted. “The truth is, I don’t like the nonsense that goes on in the U.S. There’s too much racism and se-ism, and although everyone shouts ‘equality,’ there is none.” She’s reached her breaking point. While she secured this victory, the lingering formal complaint means the final chapter is yet to be written.

Despite the ongoing uncertainty, it’s still a win, and attention now turns to her next opponent. Following her dominant victory over Danielle Perkins, Shields, now the first fighter, male or female, to hold undisputed titles in three weight classes, teased a variety of options with a clear plan for 2025. “I want to fight against Franchon-Cruz; I want to do rematch with Hanna Gabriels,” she stated, laying out her immediate intentions. Then, with a flash of her trademark bravado, she added, “I love to bring Savannah Marshall to the USA and tap that ass again, um, really, and it’s always on the table if Cris Cyborg or Laila Ali want to fight.” She’s not just looking for fights; she’s looking for legacy-defining clashes.

Now this whole situation draws parallels to Sha’Carri Richardson’s mar-juana controversy and subsequent suspension before the 2021 Olympics. However, unlike Richardson, Shields fought back and prevailed. Instead of remaining sidelined, she’s already preparing for her next fight, with the spotlight firmly on her.

Now that legal battles are almost over, the question remains—who will be her next opponent? Will she have a rematch with Marshall to settle their rivalry? Or will she dive into the chaos by facing Cyborg? Another option could be pursuing a legacy fight with Ali. Whichever path she chooses, women’s boxing has certainly become more captivating.