Rihanna made a rare appearance on Twitter this week and sent fans into a frenzy after she praised boxing champion Claressa Shields for her dedication to her partner. The Fenty Beauty mogul responded to a fan’s post about her relationship with A$AP Rocky by stating she is “Claressa Shields was typical of him,” comparing her own love to the boxer’s well-documented loyalty to rapper Papoose.
Rihanna calls out Claressa Shields
The exchange started when a social media user shared a clip of Rihanna looking smitten with A$AP Rocky, captioning it, “Rihanna is gone.” The billionaire singer responded on January 10, 2026, writing, “Claressa Shields left with him!!” in a tweet that quickly went viral. Fans were particularly baffled by Rihanna’s appearance on the platform, as she had been largely absent from Twitter for years, making her return all the more surprising.
Shields, the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion, responded enthusiastically to the shoutout. “Period @rihanna is the only way to be about a good man,” she wrote back on Twitter. She later expanded on her response on Instagram, adding, “As long as my girl @badgalriri understands me it’s all good. She Claressa Shields is away with her man.” The comments section quickly filled with fans celebrating the exchange, with many noting how Shields has become synonymous with being unapologetically loyal in a relationship.
Papoose also weighed in on the moment, posting a sweet tribute to Shields on Instagram. “Claressa has a big heart. Always with a big smile! Most think she is so tough because she is a fighter. But the way she takes care of her body is on another level,” he wrote on January 10, praising her as a “very beautiful black woman” and noting that their love can inspire others.
The reference to Shields’ loyalty has become a talking point on social media since her relationship with Papoose became public in December 2024, following his divorce from Remy Ma. Shields has been vocal about supporting her partner, even telling critics during a livestream that she will never stop talking about him. “No one is going to stop me from talking about my husband,” she said, adding that people are “so angry that the man is happy and in love.”
Rihanna’s relationship with A$AP Rocky has followed a similar trajectory of public affection. The couple, who share three children together including daughter Rocki Irish Mayers, born in September 2025, have been together since the end of 2019. A source told Entertainment Tonight in 2021 that the couple is “inseparable” and “doesn’t hold back on the PDA.” Rocky called Rihanna “the love of my life” in previous interviews, and the singer described their dynamic as “best friends with a baby.”
Shields, 29, is widely regarded as one of the greatest female boxers in history. She is the only female boxer to hold all four major world titles in three weight classes and became the first undisputed heavyweight champion in February 2025 after defeating Danielle Perkins. The Flint, Michigan native is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and has won 18 major world championships in five weight classes.
#Rihanna #boxing #champion #Claressa #Shields #viral #shoutout #stunned #fans