Savannah Marshall lost to bitter rival Claressa Shields by unanimous decision in October; Marshall tells Soccer AM plans are being made for a rematch at Newcastle's St James' Park stadium next summer; Shields' team have declared an interest in taking on Natasha Jonas
Saturday 17 December 2022 16:44, UK
Savannah Marshall says she has activated a clause to take on Claressa Shields in a rematch.
Marshall lost to her bitter rival by unanimous decision in October, live on Sky Sports, on an historic night for women's boxing.
She told Soccer AM there are plans to hold a rematch at Newcastle's St James' Park stadium next summer.
Asked about the possibility of a second crack at the self-proclaimed GWOAT [Greatest Woman of All-Time], Marshall said: "Yeah, definitely. I've activated the rematch clause, so..."
The north-east native and American middleweight superstar Shields sold out London's 02 Arena earlier this year as part of the first all-women bill to be shown live on television in the UK and Ireland.
A grander stage still could play host to a second fight, according to Marshall, who said: "I know Sky are really keen - and BOXXER - to get a rematch at St James' Park in the summer... it'd be in the summer so it doesn't clash with the football season."
Marshall was gracious in defeat despite the well-documented hostility between the two, calling Shields a brilliant fighter, but she is confident of reversing the result at the second time of asking.
"Going from the last fight, I think I can outbox her," she said. "[It's] just changing the tactics.
"[Last time the tactics were] to go out there, sit on her chest and make her work. She had more than what I thought she would."
Earlier this week, Shields' team appeared to have turned their attention towards a return to super-welterweight to take on Marshall's compatriot, the unified champion Natasha Jonas.
Shields' promoter Dmitriy Salita told Sky Sports: "Our goal has always been to make the biggest fights.
"The Jonas fight would be another mega event for women's sport.
"We want the fight and are very keen on making it happen early next year."
Jonas added the IBF belt to her WBC and WBO titles with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Marie-Eve Dicaire last month.
The Liverpudlian would relish a showdown with Shields or a rematch with Katie Taylor, two elite champions in women's boxing.
Jonas told Sky Sports: "There's no pressure on me, all the pressure's on Katie or Claressa. And I can say I've been in with the top two and I can choose who the GWOAT is!
"It's no secret that I'm not a big 154lbs. So I definitely wouldn't be going up to 160lbs. She [Shields] has made 154lbs. She has said that she would come back down and she wants the Ring belt title back.
"That's one of the more fruitful options. She's a very good champion. We've seen her against Savannah [Marshall] in a brilliant fight and probably one of her career-best performances in my opinion. But I'm not Savannah."
