There were numerous heated verbal exchanges between Savannah Marshall and Claressa Shields at today’s official pre-fight press conference in London as the two squared off in a packed room ahead of the highly anticipated Undisputed Women’s Middleweight Championship contest. of this weekend.
Claressa Shields: “When I win on Saturday night, it’s going to be a big win. This is not my first time in a fight for the undisputed championship, this is not the first time I have had a tough training camp, and it is not the first time I am the underdog. I can’t wait for the chance to silence the doubters of Savannah’s supposed knockout power…I’ve never seen anyone live off an amateur victory for 10 years of their career. I have dominated this sport for 10 years. I won the Olympics, then I won them again. Then I turned pro and won world titles in my fourth fight. Champions are not made, they are born. And I was born to do this.”
Savannah Marshall: “I’ve always respected Claressa, but she doesn’t like me to have an opinion. I saw her box and I thought it was a devilish performance. She yelled at people that she was going to get a spectacular knockout, and I watched it for 10 rounds, I fell asleep and told her how I felt… I’ve never said I’m going to knock her out, I’ve said I’m going to hurt. She’s a bully and she’s going to wake up on the mat. I can’t wait to take all those belts off her and become the undisputed middleweight champion.”
Lead co-combatants Mikaela Mayer and Alycia Baumgardner struck a surprisingly respectful tone, contrasting the insults they’ve been trading on social media and in person in the build-up to their contest on Saturday. However, the pair couldn’t resist exchanging heatedly during their confrontation.
Mikaela Mayer: “If this has to be a dogfight, I will win a dogfight. If it has to be a boxing match, I’ll win a boxing match. I can beat her any way the fight goes. I’ll take her into deep water, I’ll take her to places she’s never been before.”
Alycia Baumgardner: “This Saturday will really mark my place in this sport, who I am as an athlete. I was born for this, I did for this, and this is my moment.
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