A struggle towards Savannah Marshall could rival the sizing of Katie Taylor’s historic acquire over Amanda Serrano, states Claressa Shields.
Ireland’s Taylor edged a break up-conclusion victory about Serrano at Madison Square Backyard in New York previously this thirty day period in a combat described as the biggest in women’s boxing record.
America’s Shields is set to deal with lengthy-time period rival Marshall in September.
“I believe the storyline driving it suggests it can be as major,” reported Shields.
“With how great I am, and how she’s designed up to be this knockout artist – that’s why this struggle ought to be going on in London.”
Shields, 27, is a several earth champion across a few body weight courses, a two-time boxing Olympic gold medallist and has won all 12 of her skilled fights.
The solitary defeat of her newbie boxing career arrived in opposition to Britain’s Marshall in 2012.
The only matter avoiding Shields from getting crowned the division’s undisputed champion is that the WBO middleweight title lies somewhere else – with 31-yr-previous Marshall.
A bout amongst the pair has been rescheduled many situations, though the fighters have also been significant of one particular another on social media.
Shields has reported she does not regard her rival.
“I never have respect for anyone who failed to receive it and for anybody who failed to do the job difficult,” she said.
“I give credit rating to a person who basically has the accolades and has the belts. I’m not a a few-time world winner, I’m a 12-time globe winner who’s fought in 3 different divisions due to the fact I have turned qualified.
“I have not conquer these ladies due to the fact they have been easy, I’ve beat them simply because I was fantastic. Savannah Marshall’s claim to fame is ‘oh she would not have won any of that if I fought her’.
“The United kingdom is making her up to be this knockout artist and they’re gonna be upset.”
‘Canelo is having $90m for points I have now done’
Shields is a experienced mixed martial artist as effectively as boxer soon after a signing a deal with MMA marketing the Qualified Fighters League (PFL) in 2021.
She has fought two times in the PFL, profitable as soon as and getting rid of the other, with her following bout scheduled for November.
Shields has said she turned to MMA because the sport was presenting options for gals that were being not existing within boxing – just one instance getting that the PFL features a $1 million prize for winners of its once-a-year tournaments.
“When I signed with the PFL, boxing was going sluggish and I was very drained of combating for funds when I realized I was value way a lot more,” mentioned Shields.
“To be two-time Olympic champion, 3 time undisputed world champion – Canelo [Saul Alvarez] is performing factors that I’ve previously performed but he’s finding 90 million for it.
“Sure he’s a massive star but I have not been given that chance and system to be a substantial star.
Shields has advised that Taylor and Serrano had been provided a platform formerly denied to feminine boxers.
“I assume folks are overlooking the fact that Taylor and Serrano had been the first gals given that option to truly carry out on people platforms and be the principal function,” she mentioned.
“If that prospect would have been supplied to myself in the US, we would have accomplished wonderful numbers but we also want a great opponent.
“Persons always talk about equal fork out in women’s boxing but they do not chat about the equal prospect and which is what women’s boxing needs – equivalent fork out, equivalent opportunity, equivalent Television time.”
‘Name yet another boxer who’s accomplishing what I am doing’
A quantity of blended martial artists have turned to boxing in recent many years, but it is considerably less widespread to see the shift in the reverse course.
Shields admitted that studying the ins and outs of grappling had been the hardest job in adapting.
“Like every person else, I see my athleticism and possible, but also I am a realist. You can have all the potential in the entire world but if you are not capable to put in the operate into it [grappling], you’re not equipped to be as excellent as you want to be and to shine in really hard moments.”
“I am having there but I haven’t achieved the amount I want to be nevertheless.”
Shields claimed her drive to challenge herself was what separated her from other boxers.
“I am just a man or woman that believes I can do nearly anything when I place my thoughts to it and if I prepare for it and perform for it, I can accomplish it,” she claimed.
“That is a further motive why I’m the finest boxer of all time. Name a different boxer who’s undertaking what I’m doing, who goes inside the cage with other MMA fighters and wins and also proceeds to be dominant in boxing.”