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Claressa Shields v Savannah Marshall Women's Boxing Tips & Predictions: All The Belts On The Line
Forget about Oleksandr Usyk versus Anthony Joshua or Tyson Fury returning to face either of them – THIS could be the biggest and best fight of 2022.
When male fighters promote their bouts, you expect a lot of trash-talking. You don’t get it so much in women’s boxing – well Shields and Marshall are an exception to that rule.
In simple terms – these two cannot stand each other.
There is history between the two. Although both of them are undefeated as professionals, Marshall once beat Shields in the second round of AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championship in Quinhuangdao in 2012. She still remains the only person to beat Shields.
Now, I know the professional game is different to amateur boxing, but Shields is still fuming about that loss – she claims she won – and if she is not careful, she could let that defeat cloud her preparation for this fight.
Shields is a brash American who loves to trash talk, while Marshall lets her boxing do the talking.
There is no doubt Shields is an amazing fighter. She holds five belts and is undefeated in 12 professional fights. Two of those wins have come by knockout, so I cannot see her having the power to knock Marshall out.
For Shields to beat Marshall she needs to box cleverly and try and frustrate Marshall. The American accused the Hartlepool fighter of running in their last fight, but I think that should be Shields’ strategy. She needs to land her shots and move away to get Marshall swinging and missing.
I think Marshall is too smart to fall for that. If she connects cleanly, then she has the ability to knock Shields out. I don’t see a knockout in this fight, it will be a thrilling affair with both women remaining on their feet. The London crowd will be fully behind Marshall, and they could be the key factor in the Brit getting her arm raised.
I am expecting a full-blooded affair and I have already said it could be the fight of the year. Back this bout to go the distance with Marshall claiming a points victory.
Claressa Shields v Savannah Marshall Women's Boxing Tips & Predictions: Fighter's Predictions
Savannah Marshall: “I think it will be a lot harder for her to get someone for me (to spar). She’s going to have a hard time finding someone like me. If you think about it, it’s much easier for me to find someone with fast hands and quite good reflexes, that’s how you’d sum her up. She’s got very good upper body reflexes. She’s got fast hands. She punches in bunches. Other than that, that’s about it to be honest with you.”
Claressa Shields: “My body feels good and looks good too. I’m in great spirits. Everybody keeps asking me about my nerves. Sadly, I don’t have any nerves before any fight. I’m super excited to fight. I don’t know why, but I just enjoy it. Training camp is really the hardest part leading up to the fight. People say that the fight is going to be the hardest part, and I just don’t believe that the fight will be harder than me putting in three different training sessions per day with four miles of sprints and then me coming to the gym and doing the second session. I don’t believe that one night and a 10-round fight with Savannah Marshall, or any other woman, would be harder than my training. I don’t know if I dislike (Marshall) more, or was it Christina Hammer? I don’t know. I know both of them are just idiots. Savannah Marshall, she says some of the dumbest things… She said if she walked around calling herself the G.W.O.A.T. that her friends would slap her. As they should… You have one belt. Please don’t call yourself the G.W.O.A.T. Please don’t. The only people who I think have any right to call themselves the G.W.O.A.T. is Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano. Everyone else, zip it. Savannah Marshall, zip it. You’ve been pro for five years and only have one belt. Of course, your friends should slap you. I should slap you for you talking about wanting to be the G.W.O.A.T., or you’re the G.W.O.A.T. because you beat me 10 years ago.”
