December will finally see Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall in the same arena, but the leading female fighters won’t share a ring until 2022. It was announced last weekend that the long-time rivals will feature in separate bouts in Birmingham to generate further interest in what will be a huge fight for boxing.
In 2012, Marshall inflicted the sole defeat of Shields’ career, both amateur and professional, as she defeated the Michigan fighter at the Female World Championships. Almost a decade on, that result is still the key talking point in their lengthy history and the feud is likely to be settled in the near future. Is this fight the biggest that can be made in women’s boxing?
“Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano because not only is there Bad Blood there, but you're gonna be able to promote the hell out of that,” said Sergio Mora when speaking on the latest episode of Jabs, which can be seen on The DAZN Boxing Show.
"Say it's in New York on St. Patrick’s Day or when the Puerto Rican Day parade in June. That's a big fight.”
Chris Mannix, Mora’s sidekick on Jabs, sided with Shields vs. Marshall.
"You know, nothing you said is wrong But Claressa Shields, since she turned pro back in 2016, has been virtually untouchable. Marshall is the one woman that has done something about it back in the amateur ranks."
“She's the only woman to have beaten Claressa Shields in the amateurs or the pros and that creates a layer of intrigue. I just think this is a mega fight in women's boxing between two women who have a very deep history.”
Watch Claressa Shields claim she can beat Jake Paul below.