Rio 2016 teammates Claressa Shields and Mikaela Mayer battled each other as part of opposing teams on Celebrity Family Feud
Olympic teammates Claressa Shields and Mikaela Mayer fiercely support each other’s careers, since the women joined boxing’s professional ranks in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Separated by several weight classes, there’s little chance the two would ever face each other as opponents.
Shields battling out a tough 160-pound unification bout victory over 154-pound champion Hanna Gabriels, June 2018, in Detroit, MI. Photo by Stephanie Trapp
However, the two squared off in a 3-second head-to-head battle Sunday evening July 28 at the Family Feud podium in prime time on ABC with Steve Harvey looking on as the only judge. Bells were replaced by buzzers. The result was an embarrassing loss for Mayer as the Super Featherweight failed to throw a single punch – at least during the podium matchup.
Perhaps the 29-year old Californian was briefly intimidated after the undisputed Middleweight champion Shields jokingly reminded her of a fact that seemingly dated back to their days on the USA Olympic team.
“I don’t lose baby, you know that!”
Shields beat Mayer to the punch, or buzzer, and then responded with the No. 3-ranked answer. She then won the option for her team to play the round after Mayer failed to give Harvey an answer within the time limit. Scratch the intimidation, Mayer didn’t have a counter ready after Shields’ “Sand!” actually made the board as a response for: “I’m on the new ‘stranded on a deserted island diet’, I can only eat what?”
Mayer also struck out with the same question a second time when her team, The Brawlers, incorrectly provided the lone-remaining No. 4-ranked response when team captain Danny “Swift” Garcia said, “Hunt for animals”. Mayer did reply with a No. 2-ranked answer earlier in the opening round when Garcia defeated Ward.
Mikaela Mayer defending her NABF Super Featherweight title versus Yareli Larios, Feb 15, in Hinckley, MN. Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank
The Maulers’ final “X” sent fellow Olympian and gold medalist Ward, Athens 2004, to the Sudden Death round along with Shields for a chance to win $25,000 for The Maulers’ charity. The California-raised team captain, who is a retired undefeated two-division champion, punished Harvey’s five questions, leaving Shields to needing to get only 56 points for the win.
While the final round of Shields’ last few fights haven’t been remotely mysterious, high drama set in after the champion scored a 0 with her fourth answer. If you’ve followed the journey of the 24-year old Flint, Michigan native you might think she wasn’t completely off with her reply of “Hands” for survey question: “Name the holiest thing you have.”
The team score sat at 190 on the fifth and final question, needing just 10 points to hit the 200 required to win. Having always shown the ability rise to the occasion, Shields’ final answer fully secured the bag for The Andy Vargas Foundation after it registered 65 points.
The Ward-led “Maulers” squad included Amir Khan, James “Lights Out” Toney, Shields, and promoter Rodney Hunt who presented Harvey with a Family Feud-themed championship belt to award to the show’s winner. Garcia’s “Brawlers” unit included Andre Berto, Antonio Tarver, Mayer, and Josesito Lopez.
Mayer is as competitive as they come in the ring, and would probably love to get her challenge versus her No. 1 fan and former teammate back, but her gaffe paled in comparison to the priceless Toney-Tarver clash. Just remember everybody ain’t to be laughed at – at least not to their face.
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