Claressa Shields speech struggles during childhood were not something the boxing world ever expected to hear from the most dominant woman in the sport. But during her appearance on Club Shay Shay, the three-time undisputed champion opened up about a rarely discussed part of her story, revealing she did not speak until age five and stuttered until around nine years old.
How Early Claressa Shields Speech Struggles Began
Shields told Shannon Sharpe that she stayed silent for the first years of her life. People around her assumed something was seriously wrong. Some even believed she was deaf because she never responded verbally.
“I just didn’t want to talk,” she explained. “I would cry before I spoke.”
Her refusal to speak wasn’t medical. It was emotional. Shields described those years as a time when she kept everything inside, navigating confusion, fear, and her environment without using her voice.
From Silence to Superstar
The transformation from early Claressa Shields speech delays to becoming one of the loudest, most confident personalities in boxing shows a remarkable evolution.
Once she found her voice, she never put it down again. Shields said speaking became a form of power. That same power later fueled her Olympic triumphs and her historic run across multiple boxing divisions.
Why Her Story Matters
Shields’ revelation hits home for many families whose children experience late speech development or stuttering. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, millions of children struggle with early communication delays — but many go on to excel socially and academically once they receive support.
Her experience is a reminder that greatness doesn’t always start loud. Sometimes it starts quietly, with a child who simply needs time.
A Message For Anyone Facing Early Challenges
Shields’ journey is the definition of resilience. From a little girl who barely spoke to a global icon with one of the strongest voices in sports, her story shows that early setbacks never define your finish line.
What do you think about Claressa Shields’ story? Meet us in the comments.
