Arturs Ahmetovs has responded after Claressa Shields reignited allegations that the Latvian fighter used gloves with little or no padding during their controversial 2018 sparring session.
Shields revisited the incident while responding to criticism over her claim she could defeat male fighters, again suggesting the knockdown happened because the gloves used in the session were altered.
Speaking exclusively to World Boxing News, who first reported the incident comprehensively when it broke in 2023, Ahmetovs rejected the suggestion outright and insisted the sparring took place under normal gym conditions.
Ahmetovs Denies Glove Claim
Ahmetovs said he has no issue with people discussing the moment but believes the narrative around it has drifted away from the facts.
“I have no issue with people discussing the past, but I prefer to focus on facts rather than emotions,” Ahmetovs told WBN this weekend.
“Everything that happened was legitimate.”
“That claim about the gloves simply isn’t true. I was wearing regular 16-ounce gloves, and there were plenty of people in the gym who saw that.”
‘It Was a Normal Sparring Session’
Ahmetovs also disputed the idea that anything unusual happened during the exchange that led to Shields being dropped.
“It was just a normal sparring session,” he explained.
“She got caught with a clean shot — not a hard one, just reflexes. Everything was within the rules, and afterward we even took a friendly picture together.”
Why He Never Sued
Shields has previously questioned why neither Ahmetovs nor coach Derik Santos pursued legal action if the accusation was false.
The Latvian fighter said the answer is straightforward.
“Where I come from, people don’t run to court over things like this,” he said.
“I chose to leave the situation in the past. Of course, false accusations are unpleasant, but I didn’t see any reason to escalate it.”
‘For Me the Story Is Closed’
Despite the renewed attention surrounding the sparring session, Ahmetovs insists he considers the episode long finished.
“Honestly, I don’t know why the story keeps coming up,” he concluded.
“For me it’s closed. But she keeps bringing it up, and then people start asking me questions again.”
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Read full bio.
