Savannah Marshall’s Determination to Return
After suffering her second professional defeat, Savannah Marshall is determined to find a way back to the ring, hoping for a potential showdown with undefeated Claressa Shields. Marshall, 34, recently lost her super-middleweight title to Shadasia Green in a closely contested match that ended in a split decision, marking her first loss since being defeated by Shields during a unification title fight in 2022.
Challenges and Ambitions
Having not stepped into the ring for two years prior to this latest bout, Marshall’s defeat in New York adds complexity to her ambitions of securing a rematch with Shields, the current heavyweight champion. Although she acknowledges that her loss to Green might harm her chances of facing Shields, she remains optimistic. Marshall insists that a clash with Shields would be far more significant compared to a possible rematch with Green, stating to BBC Radio Tees,
“My fight with Claressa is 10 times as big as Claressa versus Shadasia Green. I just want that Claressa rematch. I really do.”
Reflections on the Recent Fight
The contest against Green did not include a rematch clause, a decision Marshall regrets as she was overly confident about her performance. She stated,
“There’s two fights out there for me at the minute. There’s the rematch with Shadasia, and I think that the Claressa rematch is still there.”
Despite the setbacks, Marshall is eager to stay active, eyeing a second chance at championship status.
In the match against Green, Marshall felt she performed well enough to secure the victory, although two judges disagreed, giving the win to Green. Marshall expressed frustration over the judging situation, especially as all three officials were American while she fought an American opponent. Despite feeling aggrieved, she remains bashful about her performance, noting that after reviewing the fight, she could only concede two rounds to Green at most.
Commitment to the Sport
Despite this disappointment, Marshall, who has also dabbled in mixed martial arts, vehemently denies any thoughts of retirement. Reflecting on her commitment, she shared a piece of advice from her first amateur coach about the inevitable day she might lose the passion for boxing, but for now, she’s firmly on her path, asserting,
“This is the train I’m on at the minute. It hasn’t stopped yet.”
As Marshall meticulously strategizes her next steps, the boxing community will keep a close eye on her potential return to the ring, especially with the possibilities of redeeming her title or reigniting her rivalry with Shields on the horizon.
