Savannah Marshall missing life as world champion as she plots bullish response against Franchon Crews-Dezurn
Savannah Marshall says she is ready to reclaim her place at the summit of boxing after last year's defeat to Claressa Shields; watch Marshall take on Franchon Crews-Dezurn for the undisputed super-middleweight title in Manchester live on Sky Sports from 7pm Saturday.
Saturday 1 July 2023 18:12, UK
Softly-spoken Hartlepool bludgeoner meets loud and flamboyant American visitor. We have been here before, only this time Savannah Marshall has plans for an alternative ending to the script.
Claressa Shields has lingered as an immovable talking point ahead of Marshall's fight with Franchon Crews-Dezurn for the undisputed super-middleweight crown on Saturday night: she ousted Marshall in October's historic grudge match and boasts Crews-Dezurn's sole professional blemish. She also likely awaits the winner. So it makes sense.
But as Shields and her jewels observe from the bar to which the rest must climb, Marshall and Crews-Dezurn have summoned an enthralling war of words to remind of the many, ever-increasing strands at the tip of women's boxing.
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"All anybody has ever talked about in this build-up has been Claressa," Marshall told Sky Sports. "I don't mind because it is what it is, but yeah it's nice (to have the focus elsewhere).
"You see at the lower weights, you've got Katie Taylor, Alycia Baumgardner, Mikaela Mayer, Chantelle Cameron, we've all got options."
Marshall relinquished her WBO middleweight title last autumn when she came off second best to an inspired Shields in the headline fight to a landmark all-female card at The O2.
It prompted an extended period away from the gym for the Silent Assassin to plot her next move, an eventual rematch undoubtedly on the cards but first the task of processing a maiden career loss.
"It was just one of them, it was hard, nobody likes losing, it was hard to get over," she explained. "I was so confident going into that fight, it was such a massive event.
"I said beforehand if I beat Claressa my life would have changed forever, my life would never be the same again. It was one of them, being so close but just not good enough."
"I had four months off which is the longest I've ever had off since I was 16. Just regrouped, 'I don't really have to box, I've done quite well out of boxing', one of them.
"But once the dust had settled and I came out of it, it was 'no, I want to be a champion again, I want it again'."
"If Savannah can win she sets up one of the biggest rematches the sport has ever seen, especially if it is at super-middleweight where Savannah feels a lot more comfortable. If Franchon wins it's her defining moment. There's a lot on the line."
Marshall has a history of bullish responses to adversity: she followed up disappointment at London 2012 with gold at the World Championships, where she famously beat Shields, as well as gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games; she also overcame a contentious exit at the 2016 Rio Olympics and a short-lived spell with Mayweather Promotions in America by returning to the UK to ignite her professional career with victory over Hannah Rankin to become world champion two years later.
Defeat to Shields looms as another potential trigger point.
"I spent so much time thinking 'you know what, I want them belts, I want them all, I want to be undisputed, I want them for my kids, I want my kids running about with them saying they are their mum's belts'," she explained.
"It's for my future as well, that's what it's for.
"This is all I've done since I was 12, I've been full-time since I was 16. In those four months I had off, I lived life as a normal person and it was boring, boring for me.
"The dust had settled, Claressa is the best pound-for-pound in the world and I only just came up short, so how can I walk away from that? Looking how far I've come I've done brilliantly and it was just a tough pill to swallow."
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Marshall has cut a relaxed figure throughout the build-up to her second successive undisputed title fight, insisting she feels no pressure as she occupies the role of challenger.
"I was never meant to turn pro, I'm no longer a champion, I can't even sit here and say 'I'm going to smash her head in and take the belts', because she's the champion," she said.
"I'll be respectful, she's beaten everybody put in front of her barring Claressa, which was her first fight. How can I not respect that?"
"What a personality, the sport needs it. She is a superstar and as much as this is a huge fight for Savannah Marshall and there's so much riding on it as her second undisputed in a row, for Franchon Cruz-Dezurn this is what she's worked hard her whole career for, this is the big moment and the big night she wanted and deserved."
Self-made comparisons to being "the Tina Turner, the Mary J. Blige" of boxing paint a fitting picture of the Crews-Dezurn experience, which has been a joy to observe since her arrival in the UK.
Singer, fashion designer, promoter, world champion boxer. She is quite the story.
"Now I've got a song in the charts maybe I'm the Franchon Crews of boxing!" she laughs.
Between the menacing nonchalance of Marshall and the protruding energy of Crews-Dezurn, the personalities in play are beautifully polarising.
"She's been the same since 10 years ago, that's who she is," Crews-Dezurn said of Marshall's quiet demeanour. "When she fights she fights, that's what she's trained to do. I'm just blessed I can back up the s*** because there are a lot of people who talk and can't back it up.
"I guess she prefers to show it in the ring, which is cool, and I don't expect her to be anybody but herself. Because I'm going to be myself."
As the Baltimore fighter braces herself for a defining night in her career, she remains mindful of the legacy she wishes to impose on those back home.
"They call Baltimore lots of names," she continues. Charm City, they call it Bmore because they want you to be more.
"What I would say to the people back there, there might only be one person who can relate to me because I'm very different, but if you see yourself in me, pursue it.
"I'm giving you many avenues, whether you want to pursue boxing, whether you want to pursue fashion, want to pursue music. I'm here, I'm walking my steps, you haven't got to be exactly like me but I'm just showing you you can do it.
"I'm an emotional person, I'm really grateful, there are people that have opportunities like this and wipe their a** with it, but I work so hard for all these opportunities. 20 years from now I'll look back and be like, girl you did that, and you beat her a**."
The champion has been waiting for this night. The entertainer in her has been waiting for this night.
"Why do I love the show? You only get one life. I watched my mum die, she didn't live out her dreams," said Crews-Dezurn.
"You only get one moment. That moment being on American Idol in front of Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson with less than 60 seconds to sell yourself, any chance I get I'm going to turn up.
"You're going to see all of me and even if I don't say anything you'll say 'hey that girl is different, there's something about her.
"My goal is to live my life to the fullest and do anything. Nothing beats a fail but a try, so if I try I have no regrets."
Watch Savannah Marshall take on Franchon Crews-Dezurn for the undisputed super-middleweight title in Saturday's main event in Manchester live on Sky Sports from 7pm.
