Claressa Shields v Savannah Marshall: Epic offers hope when boxing needs it

Shields v Marshall: Claressa Shields becomes undisputed champion in historic fight

By Coral Barry
BBC Sport

In a month where boxing has been hit with haymakers of its own creation, Claressa Shields' sellout title fight against Savannah Marshall offered reason for optimism.

The sport needs that boost, especially as the fallout continues from Conor Benn's failed drugs test, and the calling off of his bout with Chris Eubank Jr.

As UK Anti-Doping investigates Benn's positive test for the banned substance Clomifene - described by promoters as "adverse analytical finding for trace amounts of a fertility drug" - boxing is facing a lot of questions.

Is there enough drug testing? Are the British Boxing Board of Control fit as arbitrators of the sport? Is the sport ultimately run on the say of its biggest paymasters?

Let's not forget too, the revelations earlier this year surrounding Daniel Kinahan, and his connections with boxing.

Kinahan - a well-known figure in boxing circles - was hit with worldwide financial sanctions by the United States in April for alleged drug trafficking and money laundering. There are no allegations of wrongdoing against any boxers who have worked with him.

The collapse of MTK Global - the promotion company co-founded by Kinahan, which he has said he cut ties with in 2017 - and the scattering of hundreds of their fighters raised serious questions about the standard of governance in boxing.

Allegations of corruption and bribery run so deep that the sport could be ousted from the Olympics. The pro game suffer from similar questions of credibility, often on the biggest stage. When Jack Catterall lost to then-undisputed light-welterweight champion Josh Taylor in February the BBBofC were forced to launch an investigation into the integrity of a fight almost everyone scored the other way.

But on Saturday, in a sold-out arena, we saw the truest expression of why boxing is a sport to be loved and cherished - and worth fighting for.

Getty Images

Claressa Shields became undisputed middleweight champion as she beat long-time rival Savannah Marshall in an epic contest in London on Saturday

'That's what we want to see more in boxing'

'GWOAT' Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall on pushing women's boxing

In the main event, two elite champions went toe-to-toe. Both Marshall and Shields were undefeated in 12 pro fights.

And there is a bitter rivalry between them, dating back a decade, to when Marshall beat Shields at amateur level.

Since then, there have been some heated exchanges online and in person. Finally, they got together in the ring again. And it happened when both women are at their peak.

That is a rare occurrence. Just this month, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury failed to agree terms over a heavyweight fight, potentially the biggest in British history. In boxing, the best fighting the best is never a guarantee.

"When you're unifying fights and you're in serious fights, fights can tip either way. These are why we need to see more of these types of fight," Marshall's coach Peter Fury said.

The fight brought a career-best performance out of Shields who has reached unprecedented heights as a 13-time world champion. Marshall fell short, but proved herself a bankable star.

"This was a great fight. They both stepped up and fought out their skin, both of them, and they both tested each other to the max," Fury said.

"Savannah showed she had a true, fighting heart. That's what we want to see more in boxing. Get stuck in, have a fight. Blood and guts, that's what we want to see. That's what I'm in boxing for."

'One of the greatest nights in boxing history'

Getty Images

Marshall and Shields were unbeaten world champions before fighting on Saturday

There was no mind-boggling scorecards, no doping whispers and ultimately no controversy. The 96-94, 97-93, 97-93 scorecards were rightly in Shields' favour.

It had all the ingredients of a grudge match, but neither women overstepped a line so often ignored in verbal exchanges. When the hostilities were over, Shields and Marshall saluted each other's talents.

All the focus was on the competitors and exchanges in the ring. It was a fine example of what the sport has to offer.

"I'm disappointed that I came up short, but if it's done anything for female boxing, if it's pushed the sport, if it's made young boys and girls want to get in the gym and give it a go then I'm happy with that," Marshall said in the post-fight press conference.

It is also another example that elite women sport not only deserve the spotlight, but can thrive in it.

Promoter Ben Shalom said repeatedly this week he and broadcast partner Sky Sports were told they were mad to even consider an all-female card at a 20,000-seater arena.

"It will really go down as one of the greatest nights in boxing history because of what it means for women's boxing," Shalom said.

"I'm still amazed two women managed to sell out the O2 Arena, because most men don't even do that," Marshall added.

Just as Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano did six months ago at Madison Square Garden, Shields v Marshall showcased boxing at its best at a time when the sport is in need of defenders.

"This was a great night of boxing," Shields said.

"When people said women's boxing didn't have fans, when they said women's boxing didn't sell out venues, nobody would watch it - we got watched by millions of people today, fought in front of 20,000 and we put on a great fight."

Related topics