On Saturday, Ring, IBF, WBA and WBC middleweight champion Claressa Shields will take on her WBO counterpart Savannah Marshall at The O2 Arena, London, England.
The highly anticipated showdown that will award all four major belts to a women’s middleweight champion will take place on ESPN starting at 2:00pm ET/11:00am PT and on Sky Sports in the UK at 7pm. GMT.
Shields, who ranks second on the legendary pound-for-pound list, was an Olympic gold medalist in 2012 and 2016. He turned pro by beating reigning Ring super middleweight champion Franchón Crews-Dezurn (UD 4). He won the WBC and IBF 168-pound titles in his fourth fight against Nikki Adler (TKO 5).
In her sixth fight, she dropped down to middleweight and took the IBF and WBA titles against Hanna Gabriels (UD 10). After two defenses, the Michigan resident added The Ring and WBO titles by beating Christina Hammer (UD 10).
Shields decided to drop down to junior middleweight and became the undisputed champion before, most recently, moving back down to middleweight and winning a lopsided decision against Ema Kozin (UD 10).
Marshall, who is ranked No. 1, also excelled as an amateur, collecting a host of international medals. He notable for winning gold at the 2012 World Championships.
The 31-year-old Englishwoman won the WBO title in her ninth professional fight by stopping Hannah Rankin (TKO 7). She has made three defenses, with none of her opponents making it past the third round.
Shields (12-0, 2 KO) is blessed with excellent technical skills, while Marshall (12-0, 10 KO) is naturally bigger and is presumed to be the stronger of the two. Can Shields stick to boxing him, or can Marshall turn it into a fight? Will the road fight affect Shields, while stimulating Marshall? The only time Shields lost inside a boxing ring was as an amateur against Marshall. Will that play a role or will the American be able to overcome those doubts?
Online betting group William Hill lists Marshall as a slight favorite at 5/6 (-120), while Shields is priced at EVS (+100); the draw is 14/1 (+1400).
Here’s how the experts see it: THE RING MAGAZINE/RINGTV.COM
TOM GREY: MARSHALL TKO 6
“It’s Shields on points or Marshall on stoppage. I go back and forth all the time. I believe in both girls, and I think they are excellent at what they do. Today, my choice is Savannah. I think she’ll be losing points before she lands the homecoming shot. I’ll probably change my mind three or four times between now and fight night.”
ANSON WAINWRIGHT: UD SHIELDS
“Interesting matchup. Shield abilities against Marshall’s power. The fact that the fight takes place in England will add another layer of intrigue. I’m all for Shields using those skills and winning a competitive fight by close but unanimous decision.”
LEE GROVES: MARSHALL UD
“Many factors tip the scales in Marshall’s favor: height, reach, home ring advantage, the confidence gained from being the only person to beat Shields in a boxing ring (albeit a decade ago) and especially shooting for Shot power. That said, Shields’ most obvious advantage is his vastly superior opposition quality, and he showed against Hannah Gabriels that he can bounce back from an early drop to dominate a match. She also proved against Christina Hammer that she can handle someone with similar height and reach to Marshall. But Shields did that before an extremely supportive home state crowd in Detroit, and here she will be operating in a very hostile environment. Because of the weight of the occasion and Shields’ physical and mental toughness, as well as his skill level, she picks Marshall to win on points, but don’t be too surprised if Marshall wins by TKO.”
MICHAEL MONTERO: SD SHIELDS
“I think a lot of fans are overlooking an important factor in the main event. While it is true that Savannah Marshall defeated Claressa Shields in the amateurs, the American was only 17 years old and she was quite inexperienced at the time. Things have changed considerably since then. Comparing her professional résumés, it’s clear that Shields has faced far better opposition. She is a much improved fighter. For that reason, I like Shields to get the upper hand in this fight and win a split decision.”
FEMALE START NORM: UD SHIELDS
“Savannah Marshall knows all about Shields’ punching power. She scoffs. She endured it as an amateur in a 2012 win over Shields. But she can’t beat him. Shields power will prevail, hurting her enough to prevent her from scoring enough to prevail at cards.”
Claressa Shields won two 154-pound titles with her win over Ivana Habazin. Photo by Stephanie Trapp/ Trappfotos/ SHOWTIME.
TOM GERBASI: SHIELDS YOU
“Marshall is big, he can punch and he can fight. But I’ve seen Shields make good fighters look like they don’t belong in the ring with her, so I can’t fault her. The furthest I’ll go is to say it’s going to be a 10-round dogfight, but Shields is one step ahead all night and takes the unanimous decision win.”
DIEGO MORILLA: SHIELDS KO 9
“It is difficult in today’s boxing landscape to find someone with the drive, ambition, dedication and talent that T-Rex has shown so far in his career. Those virtues alone make her the overwhelming favorite in this fight, but the fact that Marshall remains a thorn in her side and that she is the last remaining obstacle to all-time greatness will be the defining factor in this fight. . Much has been said about Marshall’s power, that he is there, as well as his athleticism and boxing ability. But even at her best, she’s even with Shields in all those departments, and Claressa’s motivation will be more than enough to tip the scales in her favor. A war of attrition while it lasts, one last push to the finish, and as soon as Shields sees blood in the water, it’s all over.”
BOXING COACHES
DUKE MCKENZIE (FORMER THREE-DIVISION OWNER/TV ANALYST): SHIELDS MD
“In what looks like a 50-50 fight, this is the cream of the crop when it comes to women’s boxing. I pick Shields to win by majority points decision.”
BARRY MCGUIGAN (FORMER WORLD CHAMPION): MARSHALL“Claressa Shields has more skill than Savannah Marshall, so Shields could have a useful advantage. However, Marshall will start to connect as the rounds go on when she realizes that you beat someone who is faster than you by hitting them. Shields that have been dropped before can be found on the seat of her pants and can even be stopped when Savannah checks her out for a lopsided points win or, as I say, a late stoppage.”
SERGIO MORA (FORMER WORLD CHAMPION/ COMMENTATOR): SHIELDS
“I think Shields-Marshall is a close and competitive fight. Shields I like by very close decision. I can see Marshall having early success against Shields but then getting outboxed in an exciting fight. Marshall’s height will work for her at first and then work against her when she gets tired and the technique wears off.”
Savannah Marshall punches Daniele Bastieri at The O2 Arena on August 31, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
ALEX STEEDMAN (COMMENTATOR): SHIELDS PTS “This is a fascinating clash of styles and personalities. Despite the more impressive ‘form’ lines, Shields represents a significant step up for Marshall and has the speed advantage. Marshall brings more than just power though, he moves with Fury’s cunning and has the potential to do something pretty special. I think Shields could outmatch his bitter rival, but I almost expect something impressive from Marshall.”
JOLENE MIZZONE (MANAGER): MARSHALL UD
“This is the kind of fight Claressa should win every day of the week, but since it’s on the puddle, I have to go with home court advantage. This is also the kind of fight where you can also ask for a draw, but I pick that too much. I hate to use home court advantage, but that’s how it works sometimes, I hope I’m wrong.”
CAMILLE ESTEPHAN (PROMOTER, EYE OF THE TIGER): MARSHALL PTS
“Looking forward to this fight, a great rivalry between the two biggest stars in women’s sports. I see Marshall winning with a decision. I think her height and her psychological advantage will be too much for Shields to overcome. Though Shields has the skill advantage.”
MARC RAMSAY (COACH): SHIELDS SD “I see that the fight between Shields and Marshall is very competitive, maybe more than people think. Marshall has already beaten Claressa Shields in the amateur and to further complicate things the fight is in England. I see Claressa Shields winning a very difficult decision.”
KALLE SAUERLAND (PROMOTER, WASSERMAN BOXING): MARSHALL TKO
“I think it’s a fantastic fight and I think Marshall will be too strong in the later rounds. I think Shields is a very good offensive fighter, but defending her will allow Marshall to force a late stoppage.”
ERIC BOTTJER (CASOSIATOR): MARSHALL
“I am a huge fan of the Shields. His importance to boxing cannot be overstated. She can fight, she has personality (love her or not, she’s not fake) and she brings it to every match. I choose Marshall. She is the biggest puncher and has good boxing skills. An impeccable judge of distance. The team of Savannah and Peter Fury has been magical. I like that Marshall wins in a fight that calls for a rematch.”
RAÚL MÁRQUEZ (FORMER WORLD CHAMPION/COMMENTATOR): SHIELDS UD“Shields has more value on her. This is personal. Marshall is the only girl who hit her. Shields is more experienced and she will outclass Marshall and win a unanimous decision.”
WAYNE MCCULLOUGH (FORMER WORLD CHAMPION/ COACH): MARSHALL PTS
“The fight between Savannah Marshall vs. Claressa Shields for the undisputed middleweight title should be explosive. Shields will try to push forward forcing the taller Marshall onto her back foot. I think Marshall will be too smart and stand his ground, fighting Shields, using her range to take Shields out as she advances. The punch production will come from Shields, but I think the more accurate punches will be delivered by Marshall and she will win the fight on a close points decision.”
Final Count: Shields 10-8
Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at [email protected] and you can follow him on [email protected]
