10th September - Clarissa Shields v Savannah Marshall
Clarissa Shields - 12 Fights - !2 Wins (2 KOs) and Savannah Marshall - 12 Fights - 12 Wins (10 KOs) put up their unbeaten records when they meet up to decide whose the undisputed middleweight champion of the world , Shields comes into this holding the WBC , IBF , WBA and Ring Magazine titles whilst Marshall has the WBO belt in her possession and as i said I'm really looking to this fight , well the whole card if I'm being honest , as it has all the ingredients of being a proper humdinger.
Marshall has already beaten Shields , albeit back in the amateurs in the 2012 World Championships and whilst both have come along way since then i do wonder whether that maybe gives Marshall a slight psychological edge coming into this , i don't know obviously as Shields come across as full of confidence but i just think maybe back in a recess of her brain somewhere that that loss is in there and plays on her mind a little.
Theres no doubting the class of both fighters , Shields is one helluva talented boxer i have to say , with sublime , silky skills who has a good work rate and puts together solid combinations whilst Marshall is also a great boxer , maybe not as technically proficient as her opponent in some areas but she possesses explosive power which has seen her despatch 10 of her opponents by knockout. I think that this bout could well boil down to a boxer v a puncher case scenario , as though Shields has stopped two of her opponents (hasnt stopped anyone since her 4th pro fight back in 2017) she possesses nowhere near the punching power of Marshall and Marshall whilst accomplished skill wise doesnt possess the skill set of Shields.
Coming into this Shields beat Ema Kozin last time , February 2022 , by UD whilst Marshall stopped the tough Femke Hermans in April of this year , totally demolishing her in three rounds , thats some going as she'd previously never been stopped. I think its interesting that Shields has also fought Hermans back in 2018 winning by decision , she's also fought another of Marshall's victims , Scotlands Hannah Rankin , again winning by a unanimous decision whilst Marshall stopped her in the seventh courtesy of a TKO.
This is a hard one to call really , as i think if Shields utilises all her skills and manages to keep away from the bombs then she could possibly outbox Marshall and take it to the judges cards , but keeping out of the way of Marshalls big punches for ten rounds could prove to be very difficult imho. Marshall has a good trainer in Peter Fury and i think he'd have her well schooled and trained , and i'm sure that as she's naturally bigger he'll have told her to use that to her advantage and to impose her strength on Shields , wear her down , trying to find a way in until she spots an opportunity to unleash on her. Shields seems to have a decent enough chin , but the amateurs are totally different from the pro's and I think she might struggle if Marshall catches her cleanly. Like i say this is a tough one to call , and i really do think it could go either way , but i'm gonna let my heart rule my head and say that 'The Silent Assassin' wins , and brings the unified titles to these shores
Marshall to win .. (By KO/TKO)