Savannah Marshall targets 'inevitable' second fight with Claressa Shields
"The fight is inevitable, she's the undisputed champ, the Ring Magazine champion, that's where I want to be and she's in my way"
Wednesday 14 August 2019 16:30, UK
Savannah Marshall is ready to make her mark in women's boxing as she looks to hunt down American star and former amateur rival Claressa Shields.
Marshall, currently 6-0-KO4 in the professional game, recently signed a deal with Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing and is hoping to make her debut with the promotional outfit next month.
She says it was controversial but I won by six points, I was the better boxer.
Boasting an excellent amateur record, the 'Silent Assassin' has plans to soon strike gold in the super-middleweight ranks before targeting America's pound-for-pound queen and the current undisputed middleweight ruler Shields.
Marshall remains the only boxer to have ever defeated Shields, taking a 14-8 points verdict on her way to gold in China at the 2012 World Championships.
"The fight is inevitable, she's the undisputed champ, the Ring Magazine champion, that's where I want to be and she's in my way," the former Sky Sports Scholar said.
"I'm not too bothered where it takes place, as long as I get paid. I have to credit her, she's done really well, and is boxing soon to become a three-weight world champion.
"I'm not a big super-middle but I'd like to unify the division, and then I can go down and chase Claressa."
When recalling that amateur victory, Marshall reflects: "It was the old scoring system, a point for a punch so to speak, and I won by six points. She says it was controversial and that she was just a kid, but I was only three years older, I was simply the better boxer.
"That was years ago, we've both improved and come on leaps and bounds since. We're definitely contrasting characters though."
Trained by Peter Fury, Marshall has more immediate goals as she looks to help grow the women's game.
"Since the Olympics there's been a massive surge in the women's game, you've got Nicola Adams, Chantelle Cameron and Katie Taylor, it's nice to see all the top amateurs now becoming the top pros.
"I still think things are light-years away from the men but it is getting there and it's nice to be a part of.
"I'm hoping to get out in September and maybe again at the end of the year. At the minute, I'm ranked No 2 in the world with the WBA, but obviously, the pool of women is smaller than with the men so you get fast-tracked.
"My last few opponents haven't been the best, I'm 28-years old now, I want and need to step-up, I need to fight the good girls to get where I need to be."
