The showdown between Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall has been brewing for a decade.
They fight on September 10, live on Sky Sports, in a contest for the undisputed middleweight title. But their clash is bitterly personal.
When the fighters went head-to-head while filming The Gloves Are Off Shields contrasted her achievements with Marshall’s, going back to their amateur careers.
There had been great expectation around Marshall going into the Olympic Games in 2012. But she lost her opening bout in London while in the same division Shields went on to win the first of her two Olympic gold medals.
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Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshal go face-to-face on ‘The Gloves are Off’ ahead of their showdown on September 10
“Are you angry because you never won the Olympic gold medal?” Shields said. “You should be. You let your whole country down in 2012. You lost the first day and you were the favourite. You should feel terrible.”
Shields continued to throw jibes at the Briton, saying, “I think she’s gotten worse since 2012. Her skill level and everything. When she was in America you fought on one of the biggest cards, nobody remembers it, nobody. Now she comes to the UK, her hometown, her home country and now she’s a ‘knockout queen’? But that’s the privilege of her being the Brit.”
Marshall however remained calm. She reminded Shields of her amateur victory over the American, insisting, “I’ve always had Claressa’s number.
“It’s because I was better fighter,” she said. “I think she’s improved. I think she’s totally different from when we boxed as amateurs. She boxes more like a pro now, she’s a better fighter than what she was in 2012.
“We’re here now and I’m totally different, physically, mentally. On September 10 I will be undisputed champion of the world.
“I hurt you. I really hurt you,” she told Shields directly. “I will finish her.
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Savannah Marshall says she’s not getting caught up in any pre-fight animosity between her and Claressa Shields as the pair are set to face off in September
“I can outbox her and I will, with my mindset and my skill and my power.”
Marshall is utterly convinced that she matches Shields in terms of talent and boxing ability.
The American though is the first to point to her own track record of achievement. While Marshall is the WBO titlist at 160lbs, Shields has unified the IBF, WBA and WBC middleweight belts, as well as previously winning championships at super-welter and super-middle. She’s even been undisputed at middleweight and super-welterweight before.
Shields wants that to be acknowledged. “I don’t like her,” she declared.
“I just can’t stand a fighter who hasn’t accomplished not even half of what I done and talks the way she does. Coulda, woulda, shoulda, but didn’t. So I really don’t have respect for her. I don’t like her personally. As far as business, I’m going to handle my business. Like I always do.”
Watch The Gloves Are Off tonight on Sky Sports Main Event or Sky Sports Arena at 7.30pm.
The biggest fight in the history of women’s boxing – Claressa Shields vs Savannah Marshall – is live on Sky Sports on Saturday September 10. Be part of history and buy tickets for the London showdown here.
