The self-proclaimed “GWOAT” (Greatest Woman of All-Time) Claressa Shields will try to add to her greatness in her next fight, when she will bid to become the unified women’s heavyweight champion. Shields, who has won so much already – two Olympic gold medals, world titles in five weight divisions – will face Danielle Perkins on February 2, and a win would see the unbeaten Flint native walk away with the WBC, WBO and IBF heavyweight belts.
That would be quite the achievement for Shields, who moved up in weight to look for suitable tests that motivate her; Shields beating Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse in two rounds to win the WBC heavyweight title in July. Speaking of being motivated, 29 year old Shields will surely like hearing what former adversary Savannah Marshall has said this week. Marshall and Shields went to war in what was a very good fight back in October of 2022, this a huge event in the UK, the fight also being a rematch of the amateur encounter the two had that Marshall won way back when.
There was talk of a return fight almost immediately after Shield’s decision win that saw her unify the middleweight titles, either in boxing or in MMM, where both ladies have had some fights. Now, Marshall – still Shield’s biggest opponent in terms of Box-Office and fan interest – says she will follow Shields up to heavyweight and fight her up there in an attempt at avenging her sole pro loss.
“I think I’ll follow suit with Claressa, go up,” Marshall told Sky Sports. “Hopefully that sets up that fight again. I went over to MMA hoping to catch her there, that hasn’t materialised. [I’ll] get a fight in March and then hopefully her in the summer. The pool’s so shallow, with competition. I could carry light-heavyweight, heavyweight. It’s not really an issue. I am [bigger than Shields]. And hopefully it will slow her down a bit. It’s the biggest fight out there for both of us.”
If Shields, 15-0(3) can beat Perkins (and she is quite heavily favoured to do so on February 2, this in her hometown of Flint, although Perkins has yet to taste defeat at 5-0 –2KO), and if Marshall, aged 33 and currently 13-1(10) can come back and get a good tune-up type win under her belt, then maybe the hype machine can be switched back on as far as the rematch goes. Shields and Marshall do have a healthy dislike for one another, and the sequel would for sure sell. And if Marshall CAN get her revenge, then we could have a trilogy fight to look forward to.
Shields-Marshall II, at heavyweight – who wins, and could we see a stoppage this time?
