UPDATE: Showtime has named the suspected attacker to be Artis Mack, Claressa Shields’ brother!
Undisputed female middleweight champion Claressa Shields stated on social media yesterday that Ivana Habazin’s trainer James Ali Bashir being sucker-punched from behind is “inexcusable” and that the assailant is not a part of her team.
Flint Police Chief Timothy Johnson confirmed to ABC12 News that the person who allegedly punched Bashir is in jail and police are seeking a warrant for charges. He didn’t name the suspect.
Bashir, who formerly worked with Enanuel Steward, reportedly got into a heated shouting match with Claressa’s sister prior to the incident. He underwent surgery for facial fractures and is recovering.
Its good to know that the attacker was identified. It will be very telling who he is. Its very unlikely that anyone who was not from either of the two teams would have been allowed so close to Bashir. If Shields is found to be lying (by saying that no one from her team had anything to do with it), she should be suspended.
Its an ugly scandal and I hope that the culprit as well as those responsible for him will be charged by the book.
I think it was Clarissa sister what done it.
funny
Nope it was a young male
The attacker has been identified as Artis Mack, Shields brother. He is a convicted felon on parole. Flint PD made the arrest.
Cant take them anywhere now days lol
Take who?
I suppose he meant “relatives” or “brothers and sisters”.
i hope she slows her mouth down a bit, starting to sound like ab,her heads getting out of control
In my opinion, she sounds more like Ali than AB to me.
It’s good the fight got canceled. The lady Habazin wasn’t going to fight with her trainer down. She should tell Shields if the fight gets rescheduled, they will do it in Europe. Habazin probably wanted to get paid, even after the incident, but watching out for her head trainer was top priority, why fight after that and she wasn’t going to wait forever to make weight after going to the hospital.
I would agree 100% if this perp is someone from Shields’ camp. If her team can’t behave, she forfeits her right to fight on home soil. Then again, at this point, not much info has been released, so it’s still possible she has no relation to the offender.
Ummm, do you or can you read? In the article it actually says it’s her brother, so yes she has a relation to the offender.
That information was added later. At the time of posting, the only news was that a suspect was in custody. Now I think it’s fair to say the behavior of the Shields’ camp needs to be investigated and properly punished.
When you talk out of pocket bad things happen. Right or wrong.
I agree. If the fight still happens, it should take place in Europe. Flint, MI is my hometown and where I grew up. The mentality and culture of some Flint residents needs to change before I would ever feel safe having an event of such magnitude there. I hope coach Bashir recovers soon and both boxing teams can put this horrible event behind them. Everyone loses because of a stupid decision to sucker punch an elderly trainer, just mere hours away from this momentous fight. Stay positive team shields. Lessons hurt while learning but you will know next time to how to avoid the BS.
I know who did it. Claressa’s low life brother. Like dad, her brother will be heading to the big house. Prison. The Yard. An apple for a cigarette. The Thug’s life.
https://www.hireexfelon.com/records/michigan/MACK_ARTIS/822561
A no good man.
WTF? I wouldn’t want to hire him lol.
To sucker punch your opponent perhaps?
Clarissa say she dont know nothing bout her brother hittin’ nobody.
Sh*t is as sh*t does
What a piece of shit.
Low IQ just like Leon Lawson. I’m amazed that the Dirrells never won a title fair, ever (cop outs, pretend falling over etc). Then I looked at Flint Michigan. Not surprised. LL III has a target on his back.
He dindu nuffins
I dudt did nuttin’ yo
Hang him, Bash didn t deserve that. There s no place in boxing for that kind of Thuggery.
Punching a 70 year old man, from behind, what a cheap punk
She wants to be a tuff thug ass gangster fight at home in Flint well she just blew it just when the fight world was about to really take her seriously I wanted to watch that fight but I chose GGG by default it’s sad she and her entire family and town are punk ass thugs she should be suspended and have to pay medical bills she let her brother be a part and that blew here millions of fans and dollars she is no longer credible to me suspend her for a long time make her go to Europe and chase people for a fight now stay classy Flint
So is Claressa the ONLY boxer in the world who can’t talk smack, without being labeled a thug??? Why the actions of one person being put on an entire city?? He was wrong period, but she should not be blamed for something a grown man decided to do. You sound crazy calling an entire city names because one idiot.
I agree with you 100%. She can’t control adults don’t know how to act. However, she is going to have to be a little more selective about who is allowed in her inner circle. Everyone have family members that you love but don’t want me around when doing business. Hopefully this is s learning experience for her.
Well said. .
Clarissa’s team wore GWOAT uniforms. Other people, family or friends, aren’t the team & Clarissa isn’t responsible for them although Coach Ali is responsible for his own conduct and bears some of the blame.
I don’t think you can blame the fighter for the actions of a family member. To put what happened into context, before a fighter weighs in OFFICIALLY, they often get a pre weight on the official scale, since there is a difference in scale weights. Someone, I am hearing it was her sister, told the trainer to get back when he went to see Shields weight, which is legitimate, he has no reason to be there for her pre weigh in. Then they get into an argument and he uses very inappropriate words towards her, saying he was going to knock her out, stay in a woman’s place, he would treat her like a man, etc. I am not condoning the behavior of hitting him but when you disrespect and threaten a female family member, often other people come to their defense and often the most uninhibited members of the family. Hope he heals quickly and it is sad that this had to happen. But no one should be grouping all people from Flint or all people of African American culture to violence, this is boxing and hype, and it got out of hand.
Your version of the story doesn’t match the few live tapes I watched. Needless to say that this makes your comment here beyond biased – its propaganda at best.
Shields has to be held accountable for the actions of her brother, who could only be there because of her invitation. Shields is not only a low life loud mouth, but also a liar who still doesn’t admit that her brother was the assailant. I hope that the entire clan will be charged for all the damages they caused.
I m from croatia and that attack at 70 year old men is patetic at any circumstances but especcialy from behind.there ia no excuse for that even if that happend on street and not on official weighting.
I think Clarissa need to show respect and dont excuse her brother if he is done it and especially she dont need talk about Bashir unrespectfull behaviour but shut up her mouth.i saw much uglier and provocative behaviour at other official weightings and that is part of show in boxing.and opponent trainer have right to see her weight.also i think that she dont need to be punished because of her brother.yes she and her team need paid all medical treatment on Bashir (if her brother is attacker).she had some responsability but i dont think she had such influence on his brother which behaviour is conflict as we can see in his previous judgments so there isnt fair to crucified her now.she is done so much for Flint and that deserve respect and one crazy act of her brother couldnt and shouldnt ruin all what she done even now is everywhere bad picture about Flint because of that.
My english/american isnt so good but i hope this ll be understandfull.
It doesn’t matter anymore. Claressa flushed her career down the toilet by having her brother sucker punch Ali.
It is a shame that Bashir was assaulted. Another black eye for boxing. However racist comments don’t help either!
@maurice, maybe that was a race crime?!? Yeah… Anyone is capable of that.. Where is your “equality cap”
Her being related to the sucker puncher does not mean she had anything to do with it!
I know Bashir and he should have been watching who the dike was with. He was yelling at a butch lesbian and should have know she would have some peoples around. Thats the time those chics get extra aggressive. Bashir and his crew got caught slipping. Shields will be on OG status at weighins, going forward. Bashir got a bunch of people who care for him and I hope theres no retalliation.
At this stage of the situation, several entities are responsible I.M.O.
1-The WBC because they made this a title fight and was going to collect their VIG. They know full well that having 20-30 hanger ons will only make problems, and this continually happens with large amount of soldiers only looking for trouble.
2-Showtime because they have danced at these rodeos before, so in essence they’re O.K’ing these potential disasters.
3-Shields because she brought along these imbeciles. and she should be suspended for a couple of years, and have to pay the other fighters purse. Plus the medical bills incurred.
These situations must stop, either be a pro or be a street thug, if you cannot act like part of a professional promotion do not go into a professional setting. The very fact that a pro trainer was hit from the back and severely hurt shows everyone that Shields needs to be suspended,yes it is her fault for MAKING a weighin a war zone. Shame on her a two year suspension should give her time to think, and the imbecile that hit a 70 year old man needs to do time in the can.
Boxing really needs to get it’s act together.
“He finna do time in for catchin’ a battery”
Maybe now people can admit the Shields is irrelevant, and being the best women’s boxer is like being the smartest person with Down syndrome