Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall could be in for a series of fights.
'GWOAT' and 'Silent Assassin' are set to face off in September at the O2 Arena in London, England. The bout is set to be a unification of the women's super middleweight titles, as Shields and Marshall combined hold all the titles at 165 pounds.
Ahead of the matchup, there's a lot of heat behind it. Both women have traded words in public, as well as on social media. Likewise, their first press conference last month was hectic.
Part of the reason for the rivalry was that the two fought as amateurs. In 2012, Marshall defeated Shields, which is the only time that the latter has lost in any boxing capacity. While their bout in September will be the first time they've met as professionals, they have shared the ring before.
It also seems that they might share the ring multiple times in the future. In an interview with DailyMail, Shields revealed that they had a rematch clause in their fight in September. She stated:
"There's a rematch in the contract. It's there. We can both activate it after the fight. I'm not worried about it; we had a rematch clause when I fought against Christina Hammer. She never activated it. It is what it is. It's going to be her losing, because I'm not going to lose. You can note that, and everybody can ask if or when or how. I'm going to win by any means necessary. Period.
See Claressa Shields' interview below:
Claressa Shields vs. Savannah Marshall betting odds
Presently, Claressa Shields vs. Savannah Marshall is a pick-em, with nobody expected to be a clear favorite.
The bout will be the biggest test of both women's careers. While 'Silent Assassin' won their first encounter, it took place over a decade ago when the fighters were amateurs. They've both improved considerably since then.
On her end, Shields has cemented herself as arguably the greatest women's boxer to ever put on the gloves. A multi-time world champion, she's barely been tested in her outings thus far.
On the other hand, Marshll has also barely been tested; however, she's faced worse competition. Granted, the Brit has dispatched of those foes in devastating fashion, such as her knockout of Femke Hermans earlier this year.
Presently, the fight could go either way in September. While there is no clear favorite, few doubt that the bout will be anything less than thrilling.