COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. — Claressa Shields is the most successful American amateur boxer of her generation. She dominated the middleweight division at the past two Olympics, overwhelming every opponent and becoming the only U.S. fighter to claim two boxing golds.
With Shields on to her pro careers in boxing and mixed martial arts, the most successful boxing nation in Olympic history needed a replacement for Tokyo at the weight class Shields had dominated ever since women were allowed to fight at the games nine years ago.
Naomi Graham is aware of the importance of being chosen to follow Shields at 75 kilograms in Tokyo, but she’s faced bigger pressures in her life.