Bitter rivals Claressa “GWOAT” Shields (12-0, 2 KOs) and Savannah “The Silent Assassin” Marshall (12-0, 10 KOs) faced off today in London at the kickoff press conference for their September 10 clash at the at the famed O2 Arena. On the line is the undisputed female middleweight championship. Shields will enter the ring carrying the WBA, WBC and IBF belts, while Marshall will wear her WBO strap.
Claressa Shields: “I don’t hate nobody but I really do have a huge dislike for her. My grandmother told me not to use the word hate so I won’t use it, but I don’t like Savannah and she’s one of my biggest haters. They’re saying she’s a big knockout puncher, she’s the only blemish on my record as an amateur, that she has the recipe to beat me. My job is to show that she doesn’t and that I don’t reign supreme in three different weight classes for no reason. If she was better than me, she’d be the one supreme in three different weight classes, not me.”
Savannah Marshall: “I’m actually a fan of Claressa Shields, she’s a pioneer and what she has done for the sport has been amazing. But the reality is, she doesn’t beat me. She didn’t before and she won’t again. And it kills her, it absolutely burns her inside, the fact that I beat her and I’ll beat her again. I’m not just going to beat her, I’m going to outbox her. I’m going to hurt her. This fight has been a long time coming but we’re here now and September 10 I will be the new middleweight champion of the world.”
It was also officially announced that the chief support slot will see WBO and IBF world champion Mikaela Mayer and WBC champion Alycia Baumgardner face off in a unification bout in the 130-pound division.
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Kay Taylor the current wgoat and second by far Amanda serrano…..shields, wgoat?????
I believe Shields has been undisputed 4-belt champ in two divisions. No one else has done that, man or woman. One can be the GOAT and not the current P4P king or queen.
This is one woman’s fight I’d like to watch!
Marshall does not even look like a fighter in this photo. She looks like a professional businesswoman working on Wall Street.
Those are the ones that gets ya. Lol
Savannah has great range and timing. She’s long and has a decent jab, but this isn’t the amateurs.
Claressa is a whole other animal. Shields is way too explosive, too fast, too dominant.
Should be a great matchup, but I think Claressa’s style has the advantage in the pro rankings. Don’t be surprised if she stops Marshall too!
The co main is going to be a hell of a fight as well. Mayer vs Baumgardener. Can’t wait!
Womens boxing is kicking down doors. Women are beginning to establish themselves. The competition is starting to rise.
You gotta love it if your a true fight fan!
Shields is fast but weak with no punching power. Savannah is strong and hard hitting. It is a good matchup. Maybe Shields will be too fast but Marshall is good technically and maybe catches her. I think Marshall.
Barring a hand, arm, shoulder, leg or ankle injury on Marshall I do not see Shields getting a stoppage, unless Antonio Margarito wraps her hands.
I have to admit I would be surprised if Shields stops Marshall. Strange to me that Shields seems very strong and her punches look strong…but she does not seem to stop many opponents or even drop them. I can envision her winning a decision…maybe…but if there is a stoppage my money is on Marshall.
If you watch when Shields hits someone they don’t get hurt. They often continue with what they are doing even when Shields hits her in the middle of it. she is sharp and fast but she is not strong, she is weak in punching power and not particularly physically strong for pushing. When Marshall hits the same girls they stop and cover or backup and sometimes get hurt.
Agree I’m far from being a fan of Claressa but she’s going to win the fight on points, if God would’ve gifted her with the punch she would be a nightmare for every woman put in front of her ! Sad she’s such an uninteresting person outside the ring..
You must understand the level of arrogance we are dealing when someone self proclaims to be GOAT.
Reminds me of Cabron James …
I always find it interesting when folks call folks who look like Shields “arrogant” but when folks who look like Conor do it they’re “confident.”
Conor is a arrogant douche and always has been. This is a very popular opinion, and has been for a long time.
I don’t know why some people like you are obsessed with the “but whatabout THEM” mindset. Conor being arrogant doesn’t change the reality that Clarissa is as well.
The root of my comment is that Shields self-proclaimed her GOAT claim. Normally this is something bestowed on you, after a long career, by experts. Now I actually don’t have an issue if someone can back up this claim with serious accomplishments and victories over great fighters but Shields has done nothing of the sort! Look the Marshall fight is a great opportunity for Shields – who is very talented – but the comment is way ahead of itself.
Actually, after looking at the above photos, folks who look like Shields are called “Predators” 1987, 1990, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2018 & 2022.
I always find it interesting when people are perpetual victims and feel prohibited.
It will be Shields vs. Hammer 2.0.. Shields is leagues ahead of Marshall in ring generalship. As far as Marshall’s power, you can’t hit what you can’t find.
I’m not a fan of Claressa but not a stupid hater either. 90% of the comments on this article are fuelled by hate, peoples are forgetting the fact she’s a great athlete and boxer. I don’t like her but she’s going to win this fight. Taylor has power but she is pretty easy to hit and slow..
Shields will lose and maybe even by TKO remember she did get dropped by a 154lber and she has nothing on her punches for all who claim she has power mistake her yelling with pop she only has 2 ref stoppages on her resume lol but Marshall is in her head and does have real pop so shields chin will be tested too bad womens fights only go 10×2 minute rounds Shields will try and do like Taylor did against Serrano and “escape” with a points win Serrano got robbed in that fight beat the lucky charms out of that limey and daddy Hearns had to pay for that one will Marshall get the same treatment?
Calling an Irish a limey is fightin’ words. Brits are limey’s Irish are Mc’s.
Looking forward to this!
There is nooooo such thing as a soft punch to your MF face!!!! ALL punches hurt!!!!
Obviously you’ve NEVER been punched in the nose, or the eye, or the temple, in the spleen, the liver, the kidneys, or square on your MF chin!!!
If my 12 year old daughter got a clean shot on your chin, I BET YOU she’d put you down or wobble you severely!!! Has nothing to do with strength or gender.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO HIT HARD TO KNOCK A HUMAN BEING OUT!!!
Just a few pounds of pressure In the right place at the right time, and BAM!!!!
Claressa is wayyy faster. Remember speed kills! An accumulation of punches can also cause a stoppage!
Bingo! Shields may not have KO power but when she lands, her opponents look disturbed. They don’t look hurt, but they look disturbed and flustered. After several rounds of getting tagged, the accumulative of punches starts to wear down her opponents. And best believe they start to hurt bad. There’s hurt as in wobbled, and then there’s hurt as in damn that hurts.
Trenton I believe there are some holes in your analogy, Shields has speed and ring generalship. Speed can kill, check. Few pounds of pressure in the right place, check, punching accuracy, check, timing, check……………… How do you explain the very low 16.6 KO percentage????? Strength has to play a very important part. Paul Malignaggi had a higher KO percentage, 19.4
Agree i don’t like her but she’s going to win because Taylor’s too slow and easy to hit..
Claressa is like the female version of Meldrick Taylor, overwhelming opposition with speed & volume, not power. Claressa should be happy Marshall is not the female version of Julio Cesar Chavez.
Meldrick Taylor had a 52.63% career KO rating, 58.33% at 12 pro bouts, that’s 3x more than Shields. Shields can cut off the ring and angle her shots for every second of the 120 per round. It befuddles her opponents, they see a jab or combo coming at them no matter what angle they take coming at Shields. Hanna Gabriels timed her high temple shot perfectly and sat Shields down with confidence. I know Marshall does not posses Gabriels’ skill set, but a shot like that by Marshall on Shields would be a lot more devastating and quite possibly Shields first KO loss.
Another win for Shields. There aren’t any woman that can beat her right now. Doubt you’ll see another female fighter like Shields any time soon. Marshall riding high on a win in the amateurs’. Shields is a top achiever in the pros is the big difference. Should be a good scrap and they’re doing a great job with the promotion.
No, Shields doesn’t have better wins at 160 than Savannah does. Shields has beaten the same hags Sav has, but by boring decision. Marshall is by far Shields toughest fight, and she has a win over Shields. Clar is shook.
Marshall really is in home girls head. Shields is sooooo insecure, it is cringeworthy. It is definitely not because she is black, she is obnoxious and corny as hell. Female Adrian Broner.
Shields has a better Bunkie therefore she will win.
Hey Clarissa. What ever happened to your Brother? The fellow who sucker punched Bash Ali at one of your weigh in’s a while back? HUH? Punk ass coward came in from the side and gave the poor ex fighter permanent brain damage. Way to condemn that conduct. True roll model, you are. Maybe that’s why we can’t fricken stand you. It’s has nothing to do with the color you are. Or that you are a woman…OR even your arrogant behavior. It is because of your inner character. We all see it.
JT,
Your grammar and spelling are impeccable. You should be a full-time paid contributor. We admire your objectivity and there is no hint of veiled racism, underachiever anger, or fake far-right moral piety. Mickey Ward never condemned the ways of his lying, thieving, crackhead brother. Are you disgusted by Mickey now because of Dick Ecklund’s behavior?
She’s a multi-division champion who is taking on the best in those division. Name a man or woman in boxing outside of Shields who fits that criteria? This is definitely her gravest challenge and she has my respect. There are great fighters like Riddick Rowe who was petrified of his rival Lennox Lewis and ran from the situation. Shields is facing her rival head-on. I can’t wait for this one.
Nobody here has knocked Shields competition or her willingness to face the very best. It is her absolutely cringe-worthy persona and attitude that just rubs everyone, regardless of their own skin color, the wrong way. It’s the same thing with Adrien broner. Look, the majority of American fighters are black or Latino and white people are by far a minority in this sport. So nobody is giving Shields crap because she’s black, or a woman, or a gay woman. Hell, Amanda Serrano is a gay woman of color and everybody loves her. The difference? Attitude and personality.
So who is the favorite?
Hands,?
I will not use your BS wording, but, I will help you along.. ( Practicable application )..
I am curious how many fighters have brothers or sisters that were drug addicts? I assume there might be a few., lmao.. Now, imagine someone sucker punching a man and causing Brain damage. Correlation? And comparing the way Mickey Ward conducted himself and Gwoat is silly. You are out to pasture. Right – left!! Silly sheep. Be yourself. Spence Crawford?? Any updates , all?
Someone needs to shut shields up.
marshall should go all out dont be a fan of shields you probably need a tko to win
Sadly i think Shields is going to win this one, she’s the better boxer of the two. Taylor’s chance is her power, if she’s able to press Shields while hitting her hard at the same time she could discourage her in the later rounds.
We’ll see..