On Saturday night in Atlanta, Shields dropped all the way back to middleweight and overwhelmed Kaye Scott, forcing a sixth-round stoppage to capture the WBA and WBC titles.

It was another historic accomplishment for Shields, but perhaps more importantly it opened the door to several intriguing possibilities.

At 31 years old and still unbeaten, Shields doesn't need to chase belts simply for the sake of adding more hardware. She has already been undisputed in multiple divisions and conquered opponents from junior middleweight all the way to heavyweight.

At this stage of her career, Shields needs fights that actually mean something:

This is the fight that appears to have the most momentum. Price has openly pursued Shields, and the two Olympic gold medalists have already come face-to-face to begin building the matchup.

Price would have to move up from welterweight, but that hasn't stopped either side from discussing the fight at middleweight.

There is also a natural storyline. Price is undefeated, confident and accomplished. Shields is the established superstar who has spent years declaring herself the greatest female fighter of all time.

The storyline practically sells itself — America against Britain, with two undefeated Olympic champions going head-to-head. And unlike many of Shields' recent opponents, Price has enough profile and personality to help sell the event.

The only issue is timing. A showdown between Shields and Price has been discussed for early 2027, meaning Shields may have room for another fight before they finally meet.

If Price is being targeted for early 2027, a fight with Tammara Thibeault makes the most sense in the interim.

If Shields wants to become undisputed at middleweight again, Thibeault, who holds the Ring, IBF and WBO titles, is the obvious target.

The undefeated Canadian recently captured her middleweight titles, which means the division is now perfectly divided.

Put Shields and Thibeault together and five belts are on the line.

For Shields, it would provide another opportunity to make history. She already became undisputed at middleweight once, but reclaiming the undisputed championship after moving to heavyweight and then coming back down would be another remarkable accomplishment.

Thibeault also represents something Shields desperately needs at this stage of her career — an opponent who hasn't already been beaten by her and who enters with legitimate credentials.

She's a big, skilled southpaw with an extensive amateur background and, at 29, should be entering the prime of her career.

The commercial value may not match Price or Savannah Marshall, but from a pure boxing perspective Shields-Thibeault might be the most logical fight available.

Sometimes the biggest fight isn't about belts — it's about history.

Marshall remains the one opponent permanently attached to Shields' career.

Marshall handed Shields the only defeat of her amateur career, creating a rivalry that followed both women into the professional ranks. Shields settled the professional score in 2022, defeating Marshall by unanimous decision to become undisputed middleweight champion.

But the rivalry never completely disappeared. A rematch would still carry more personal history than almost anything else available to Shields. The difficulty is finding the right circumstances to make it happen.

Shields has already beaten Marshall decisively as a professional. There would need to be a compelling reason for fans to believe the second fight would be different.

But if Marshall can position herself for another major opportunity, the rivalry alone guarantees interest. And commercially, Shields-Marshall II would almost certainly be bigger than most of the names available.

Then there is the option that shouldn't be forgotten - Shields is still the undisputed heavyweight champion.\

Dropping back to middleweight doesn't mean she has permanently abandoned the division she spent the last two years conquering.

Danielle Perkins remains one of the leading heavyweight contenders, although Shields already defeated her convincingly in 2025. Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse is another familiar name who has already been stopped by Shields.

That's the problem with heavyweight - Shields has conquered the division faster than credible challengers can emerge.

A return to heavyweight therefore makes sense only if a new opponent develops into a legitimate attraction or if the sanctioning bodies force Shields' hand with a mandatory defense.

Otherwise, there is simply more interesting business available at middleweight.

And then there is the wild card.

Mayer has never been shy about wanting major fights, and a matchup with Shields would bring together two of the most recognizable American women in boxing.

The obvious obstacle is weight. Mayer has spent most of her career considerably below middleweight, making the size difference difficult to ignore.

But boxing has repeatedly shown that the right financial opportunity can overcome divisions that once seemed too far apart.

If Mayer wants to move upward and Shields remains at 160, it's a fight that needs to be discussed.

Before Mayer can become an option, she must first overcome a tough fight with Chantelle Cameron on August 29 with The Ring, WBC and WBO 154-pound titles at stake.

Mayer appears to be willing to make the Shields showdown come off. Whether it can actually happen is another question.

That's the luxury Shields has earned. She doesn't have to accept whatever becomes available. She can choose what she wants her next chapter to look like.

Price is probably the biggest fight available, while Thibeault makes the most sense if Shields wants to become undisputed at middleweight for a second time.

Marshall will always be there because of their history, and heavyweight remains an option if a legitimate challenger emerges.

The question is no longer whether she can win another world title. She's done that over and over again. It's whether her next opponent can give her something she hasn't already accomplished.