--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everybody kept saying I wasn't going to…" description: "\"Everybody kept saying I wasn't going to get any fights. And they wouldn't put me on TV and they don't respect women's boxing. But I also turned profess..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/claressa-shields-11813_american_everybody-kept-saying-i-wasn-t-going-to_2574840.jpg" --- # Everybody kept saying I wasn't going to get any fights… ![“Everybody kept saying I wasn't going to get any fights. And they wouldn't put me on TV and they don't respect women's boxing. But I also turned professional with two Olympic gold medals and that's something that no other American boxer has ever done. With that, I've been getting a lot of respect.” quote by Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/claressa-shields-11813_american_everybody-kept-saying-i-wasn-t-going-to_2574840.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/claressa-shields-11813_american_everybody-kept-saying-i-wasn-t-going-to_2574840.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca7/claressa-shields-11813_american_everybody-kept-saying-i-wasn-t-going-to_2574840.jpg) > “Everybody kept saying I wasn't going to get any fights. And they wouldn't put me on TV and they don't respect women's boxing. But I also turned professional with two Olympic gold medals and that's something that no other American boxer has ever done. With that, I've been getting a lot of respect.” [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She overcame gender bias and skepticism, achieving historic success and earning respect through Olympic and professional victories. **In simple terms:** She proved doubters wrong and earned respect. Key Takeaway Believe in your ability despite others' doubts. Themes determination gender equality achievement respect sports Mood proud inspired empowered Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - professional boxing - Olympic competition - media representation - advocacy for women's sports Key Concepts breaking barriers role model legacy Questions to Reflect On - How can we further support women in combat sports? - What does respect mean to you after success? A Different Perspective Challenges remain in media coverage and equal pay for female athletes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [American Boxer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-boxer-1724947/) [Boxing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boxing/) [Boxing Turned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boxing-turned-1724948/) [Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) [Gold medal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold-medal/) [Medals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medals/) [Olympic gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympic-gold/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Turned Professional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turned-professional-1294270/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) [Women Boxing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-boxing-872997/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/) ## Related quotes > [Imagine stepping into the shoes of Roberto Duran, one of the most legendary boxers in the history of the sport, and definitely the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-ramirez/imagine-stepping-into-the-shoes-of-roberto-duran-one-of-the-most/) [Edgar Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-ramirez/) > [It's a big move from the 'Tough Man' circuit to professional boxing. When I turned pro, I had to play catch-up and was fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-morrison/it-s-a-big-move-from-the-tough-man-circuit-to-professional-boxing/) [Tommy Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-morrison/) > [If you're dedicated to something and you put the time in, why should anyone have an opinion on it? Halif of the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/if-you-re-dedicated-to-something-and-you-put-the-time-in-why-should/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [Fighting against undefeated IBF 154-pound champion Marie-Eve Dicaire continues my quest to fight the very best in women's boxing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/fighting-against-undefeated-ibf-154-pound-champion-marie-eve-dicaire/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [At the end of the day, I am the cash cow in women's boxing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/at-the-end-of-the-day-i-am-the-cash-cow-in-women-s-boxing/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [I'm carrying the sport of women's boxing and I am the best woman fighter and that's my role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/i-m-carrying-the-sport-of-women-s-boxing-and-i-am-the-best-woman/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [You don't do a play to compete for an award. This was the argument I always had over the Oscars. I didn't win them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/you-don-t-do-a-play-to-compete-for-an-award-this-was-the-argument-i/) [Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/) > [We knew James Harden was good. You don't get named to All-Star games and win Olympic gold medals when you play like Darko Milicic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-evans/we-knew-james-harden-was-good-you-don-t-get-named-to-all-star-games/) [Sean Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-evans/) > [I'm not a celebrity. I'm just the same Simone. I just have two Olympic Gold medals now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-biles/i-m-not-a-celebrity-i-m-just-the-same-simone-i-just-have-two-olympic/) [Simone Biles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-biles/) > [During my time, squash was not even part of Asian or Commonwealth Games. Considering the dominance of Jansher Khan and I in the '80s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jahangir-khan/during-my-time-squash-was-not-even-part-of-asian-or-commonwealth/) [Jahangir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jahangir-khan/) > [At the Usha School of Athletics, our sole aim is to earn Olympic gold medals for India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-t-usha/at-the-usha-school-of-athletics-our-sole-aim-is-to-earn-olympic-gold/) [P. T. Usha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-t-usha/) > [Women's boxing has received a major boost from the success of 'Million Dollar Baby.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hauser/women-s-boxing-has-received-a-major-boost-from-the-success-of-million/) [Thomas Hauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hauser/) > [What happened to the men's boxing is happening to the women's boxing, but not all the time. Every now and then, you get some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-canino/what-happened-to-the-men-s-boxing-is-happening-to-the-women-s-boxing/) [Bonnie Canino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-canino/) > [I still really haven't sat down and said 'yeah, I'm ranked No. 1 in the world and I'm an Olympic Gold Medalist.' It just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/i-still-really-haven-t-sat-down-and-said-yeah-i-m-ranked-no-1-in-the/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [The only thing that me and Muhammad Ali have in common is that we are both Olympic gold medalists and both very outspoken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/the-only-thing-that-me-and-muhammad-ali-have-in-common-is-that-we-are/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) ## More by Claressa Shields > [If you're dedicated to something and you put the time in, why should anyone have an opinion on it? Halif of the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/if-you-re-dedicated-to-something-and-you-put-the-time-in-why-should/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [I trained my whole life for the Olympics. I didn't have a childhood, I really couldn't go to the beach with my friends. Couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/i-trained-my-whole-life-for-the-olympics-i-didn-t-have-a-childhood-i/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [I have a lot of cousins that I don't know. But I think that happens to any celebrity. I wonder how many cousins does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/i-have-a-lot-of-cousins-that-i-don-t-know-but-i-think-that-happens-to/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [Fighting in Flint in front of all my fans has been a dream of mine since turning pro. Having the opportunity to make history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/fighting-in-flint-in-front-of-all-my-fans-has-been-a-dream-of-mine/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [My life is way bigger than boxing or acting or being rich or being famous or endorsements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/my-life-is-way-bigger-than-boxing-or-acting-or-being-rich-or-being/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [From my first fight, I loved being in the ring. I tune everything out - the lights, the smells, the noise - so I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/from-my-first-fight-i-loved-being-in-the-ring-i-tune-everything-out/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [Growing up in Flint, Michigan, I saw so many kids from my school end up in jail or unemployed, and gangs would hang out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/growing-up-in-flint-michigan-i-saw-so-many-kids-from-my-school-end-up/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [I got the nickname T-Rex when I was 11 years old. Back when I was younger, I was very skinny and I had short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/i-got-the-nickname-t-rex-when-i-was-11-years-old-back-when-i-was/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [At the end of the day, no matter what you do, there will be somebody that don't like you. You don't have to like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/at-the-end-of-the-day-no-matter-what-you-do-there-will-be-somebody/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [I tell all kids and the girls growing up that you control your own life, you control your destiny - not where you're born,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/i-tell-all-kids-and-the-girls-growing-up-that-you-control-your-own/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [The first punch I learned was the jab. Second, the cross punch; third, the hook - after that, all the combinations and how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/the-first-punch-i-learned-was-the-jab-second-the-cross-punch-third/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [I be thinking sometimes, maybe I'm just too hard on people. Maybe I want too much. But no, I don't. All my granny did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/i-be-thinking-sometimes-maybe-i-m-just-too-hard-on-people-maybe-i/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [I train like an animal in the ring. There's nobody that can beat me because I train hard for everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/i-train-like-an-animal-in-the-ring-there-s-nobody-that-can-beat-me/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [Being a woman fighter, I can't just go out there and manhandle a girl, I need to be very strategic: Use my skills, head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/being-a-woman-fighter-i-can-t-just-go-out-there-and-manhandle-a-girl/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [Flint is not a hopeless city and I mean that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/flint-is-not-a-hopeless-city-and-i-mean-that/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) [Explore all 57 Claressa Shields quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) [Browse all 7,717 American quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Everybody kept saying I wasn't going to get any fights. And they wouldn't put me on TV and they don't respect women's boxing. But I also turned professional with two Olympic gold medals and that's something that no other American boxer has ever done. 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