With the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday afternoon in Scotland, the UK and by extension its sports are at a time of delay and uncertainty and this includes Saturday’s Boxxer card scheduled for the O2 Arena in London with the fight for the undisputed women’s middleweight title. between unified champion Claressa Shields and WBO champion Savannah Marshall.
After acknowledging the Queen’s passing at the age of 96 on Thursday night, Boxxer released a statement. In it, they say that their promotion along with the British Boxing Board of Control, as well as the 02 Arena, etc., are in constant communication and consultation as to whether the fight card/PPV will proceed or whether it will face a possible delay or postponement.
Rest in Peace, Your Majesty.
We are deeply saddened by the news from Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
Our thoughts and condolences are with the Royal Family at this incredibly sad time. pic.twitter.com/SWEvePhFpx
— BOXXER (@boxxer) September 8, 2022
of the statement,
“The news of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was received today with great sadness by the athletes and staff of BOXXER.
With the utmost respect, the official weigh-ins scheduled for Friday for BOXXER – LEGACY: Shields vs Marshall will now take place behind closed doors and will not be open to the media or public.
An announcement on the status of the event will be made on Saturday, at The O2 in London, after consultation with relevant government and sports sector bodies and will be made as soon as possible.
This announcement will be made through Boxxer.com and official BOXXER social media channels.
The deepest condolences of every BOXXER athlete and staff member go out to the Royal Family and all those affected by the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Ben Shalom, CEO and founder of BOXXER, reflected on today’s news: “My thoughts are with the royal family and the nation at this incredibly sad time.
“Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II was an iconic and unrivaled leader for our nation and an inspiration to women around the world.
“Her leadership and strength of character showed that there are no limits to what women can achieve. Her passion for equestrian sports was unrivaled and her presence at so many key sporting events underscored the importance she placed on the role of sport in society.
“On behalf of everyone at BOXXER and all of our fighters, we express our sincerest gratitude and appreciation for all that Her Majesty has done to pave the way for women and inspire the next generation.”
An inspiration to millions in the UK and around the world, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was the longest reigning monarch in British history. She set an example of duty and dedication that will resonate through the ages.
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II was an equestrian enthusiast with a passion for riding sports of all varieties.
And throughout her momentous 70 years of service, she played a central role in major events across the sports pantheon, particularly for women in sports, where she celebrated and inspired generations of grassroots and elite female athletes across the globe. the world”.
So, for now, they will proceed with Friday’s noon weigh-in for all bouts on the Boxxer card, which also includes a co-feature of the women’s junior lightweight unification matchup between Americans Mikaela Mayer and Alycia Baumgardner.
Shields and Marshall has been a highly anticipated female battle for the last year or so.
Shileds, 12-0, 2 KOs, made the third defense of her unified middleweight titles in February, when she defeated Ema Kozin by a 10-round decision. His fight was the co-main event of Cardiff in Wales, on the undercard of the reunion of British middleweight star Chris Eubank Jr. and Liam Williams. Shields is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist.
Marshall is also 12-0, but with 10 KOs, including a thunderous third-round knockout of Femke Hermans in Newcastle in April. And bigger for this fight, she handed Shields her only loss as an amateur in world championship competition. The two never met in Shields’ two Olympic-winning tournaments.
There is also the possibility that the Shields-Marshall Boxxer card could be delayed over the weekend or completely rescheduled for another time.
Currently, it is not known what sports, including the popular English Premier League soccer, will or will not play this weekend. And, if they don’t play, there almost certainly won’t be a title fight card in London for Saturday night.
All of that will have to wait. For now, Britain is in mourning over the death of Queen Elizabeth and decisions about whether or not to play sports will be made very soon.
