Claressa Shields is more than just a champion. She’s an inspirational figure who found her true calling, boxing, at the age of 11 and she has transformed that love of the ring into two Olympic gold medals and a unified Super Middleweight Championship. She was our second honoree at the 4th annual Shadow League Awards Presented by Buick, which was held on November 8th at Espace in New York City.
2017 Shadow League Awards- Claressa Shields
Claressa fought a lot as a child. Then she found the ring and fought with her father to let her box. When he finally agreed, there was no turning back for Shields. Her skill, passion, talent, dedication and love for the sport, coupled with her love for the church, has turned her into the Champion we have all grown to respect and love. We first saw her win a Gold medal at the 2012 Olympic games and four years later she did it again, becoming the only two-time gold medalist in boxing for the U.S. Turning pro in late 2016, she made an immediate impact in only her third fight where she won the WBC Super Middleweight title. Two months later, she won the IBF title and is now the women’s unified champion.
But, more importantly, she’s an inspiration to all and we were honored to have her as a Shadow League Award honoree.
MORE ABOUT THE SHADOW LEAGUE AWARDS PRESENTED BY BUICK
Since 2014, The Shadow League has honored and celebrated individuals in sports who excel and remove barriers outside the mainstream. In an industry that inspires us all to utilize our determination and strengths in a positive way, there are unsung heroes who have an impact on sports in ways that might not be covered on the nightly news, yet their impact resonates on the various courts, fields, and arenas and in boardrooms across America. Previous TSL honorees have included David Rone, former president of Time Warner Cable Networks and Time Warner Cable Sports; Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions; Christine Simmons, president and COO of LA Sparks; and Terence Crawford, unified light-welterweight champion.
Buicks partnership with The Shadow League has continued to grow over the past two years, including engagements during NCAA College Football and the Final Four.
During the evening, both the Buick Encore and Lacrosse were on display for attendees to experience.
This week has been a busy week for Buick as the brand just announced the debut of the Buick LaCrosse Avenir, Buicks highest expression of luxury, which is expected to arrive at dealers in early 2018. With the arrival of the 2018 LaCrosse Avenir, Buicks new sub-brand expands its offerings and provides a way for customers to experience the highest expression of Buick luxury.
