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The unified world middleweight champion has landed the biggest fight of her career, with confirmation she will defend her titles against arguably the greatest female boxer of all time, American Claressa Shields, in Atlanta, Georgia on August 15.<\/p>\n
It is the type of opportunity that comes around once in a lifetime \u2013 if it comes at all.<\/p>\n
Shields is the most decorated woman in boxing history and the first boxer, male or female, to become an undisputed champion in three weight divisions during the four-belt era.<\/p>\n
Now reigning as the undisputed heavyweight champion, the undefeated US superstar enters the bout as a heavy favourite for good reason.<\/p>\n
But Scott \u2014 who at 42 is 11 years older than her fancied opponent \u2014 is convinced she can produce one of the greatest upsets in Australian boxing history.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you look at her accolades as a professional, and as an amateur, you can\u2019t deny she is a fantastic fighter,\u201d Scott told Fox Sports Australia.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I don\u2019t look at her like Usain Bolt in the sense that I would never be able to run that fast.<\/p>\n
\u201cI look at her as a really big challenge who, if I can bring the A-plus version of myself, I feel like I could go toe to toe against and keep my belts.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Aussie continued, \u201cI\u2019m all about challenging myself. I\u2019ve become a unified world champion with that attitude and self-belief \u2013 it\u2019s a very powerful tool.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kaye Scott and Claressa ShieldsSource: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n
When news of the fight broke last week, much of the conversation on social media boiled down to one question: Who is Kaye Scott? <\/p>\n
Others took aim at her age, joking that the veteran has no business sharing the ring with the so-called GWOAT.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t care that much about what they think,\u201d Scott declared. \u201cThe old me would care, but I actually laugh at it now. I\u2019ve seen people online saying, \u2018Who is this grandma?\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just makes me chuckle. I\u2019ve always been the older fighter, so it\u2019s never really been a big issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cI train alongside people like Sammy Goodman and the other 20-year-old guys, and I\u2019m right there with them. I know age isn\u2019t a barrier for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the reasons why Scott has peaked late in boxing is because she started late in the sport \u2013 which had a lot to do with women being banned from fighting in NSW between 1986 and 2009. <\/p>\n
She insists she\u2019s never felt better than she does right now.<\/p>\n
\u201c[Some fans] don\u2019t know much about my background, they don\u2019t know my story, so I understand if they just look on BoxRec and go, \u2018Oh, my god, she\u2019s had seven fights, why is she getting in there with Claressa?\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve had seven pro fights, but I am also a unified world champion.\u201d<\/p>\n
A further source of confidence for the Sydneysider comes from familiarity \u2013 she\u2019s actually shared the ring with Shields before in sparring, early in the American\u2019s career.<\/p>\n
Scott believes that encounter about a decade ago gave her an invaluable look at the pace, power and skill of the US legend \u2013 while also proving to herself that she could hang.<\/p>\n
Indeed, the Australian has also \u201cmoved around with\u201d current world champions Oshae Jones and Mikaela Mayer.<\/p>\n
\u201c[Claressa\u2019s] someone you look up to and go, \u2018Wow, I\u2019d love to be able to achieve that,\u2019 but she\u2019s not someone I put on a pedestal,\u201d says Scott.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s just a normal person who is a very good athlete. And everyone can be beaten, including her. I\u2019m ready to shock the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked what she remembered most from the sparring session with Shields, Scott says it was just the added belief it gave her. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was only one time, and she had turned pro by then, and they actually asked for me to spar. I think we did, like, six rounds, but I was competitive in there with her the whole time.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not like the sparring stopped or anything like that \u2013 we both got each other with shots. I think it was in 2016, 2017, a long time ago now.\u201d<\/p>\n
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