Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall will finally settle their long-term feud in an historic night for women’s boxing on Saturday.
The highly-decorated duo go head-to-head for all the middleweight marbles, as Shields puts her WBC, WBA, IBF and Ring Magazine titles on the line, while Marshall brings her WBO belt to the table.
Shields, who brands herself the ‘GWOAT’, or Greatest Woman Of All Time, is a double Olympic champion and has tasted defeat just once as an amateur or professional, coming against Marshall all the way back in 2012.
Claressa Shields (left) and Savannah Marshall (right) go head-to-head on September 10
The rivals are fighting for all the middleweight marbles in an enticing undisputed showdown
Marshall, on the other hand, was eliminated in the early rounds at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games and has won just the one world title, while Shields has reigned as undisputed champion at two weights.
Yet, the Hartlepool fighter is widely deemed to be the hardest hitting fighter in the women’s game, having stopped 10 of her 12 opponents to date, and the 31-year-old is supremely confident of ending another contest before the final bell.
The main event tops an historic bill, being the first-ever all-female card to be held in the UK.
As the spectacle edges ever closer, Sportsmail takes you through everything you need to know.
When is Claressa Shields vs Savannah Marshall?
The clash between Shields and Marshall is scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 10 at the O2 Arena in London.
The pair are expected to walk to the ring at around 10.30pm UK time, though that will of course depend on results beforehand.
Mikaela Mayer and Alycia Baumgardner go head-to-head in an enticing super-featherweight clash for the WBC, WBO and IBF titles in the chief support.
Olympians Lauren Price MBE and Caroline Dubois are also in action as they take on Timea Belik and Milena Koleva respectively.
How to watch the fight
The fight, which will be a 10-round contest, will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
Customers will be able to stream the fight via the app on their mobile, tablet or computer device.
You can also buy a Sky Sports Day Pass from Now for £11.98, which also includes a eight-month Mobile Month Membership.
Sportsmail will also be covering the fight live, so you can keep up-to-date with us.
Shields vs Marshall: The key stats
Claressa Shields
Age: 27
Height: 5ft 8in
Stance: Orthodox
Record: 12-0-0
Knockouts: 2
Rounds: 101
Debut: 2017
Savannah Marshall
Age: 31
Height: 5ft 11.5in
Stance: Orthodox
Record: 12-20-0
Knockouts: 10
Rounds: 44
Debut: 2018
Shields, 27, claimed a unanimous decision victory over Ema Kozin in her most recent outing
Marshall showed her power once more as she destroyed Femke Hermans in three rounds
Marshall is the only boxer to defeat Shields, coming as an amateur all the way back in 2012
Fight card in full
- Claressa Shields vs Savannah Marshall – for WBO, WBA, WBC, IBF, WBF and The Ring middleweight titles
- Mikaela Mayer vs Alycia Baumgardner – for WBC, WBO, IBF, and The Ring super-featherweight titles
- Caroline Dubois vs Milena Koleva
- Lauren Price MBE vs Timea Belik
- Karriss Artingstall vs Marina Sakharov
- Ebonie Jones vs Vanesa Caballero
- April Hunter vs Erica Juana Gabriela Alvarez
- Shannon Ryan vs Buchra El Quaissi
- Ginny Fuchs vs Gemma Ruegg
- Sarah Liegmann vs Bec Connolly
- Georgia O’Connor vs TBA
What’s been said?
There has been trash talk in abundance both before the fight was eventually announced and since, with Shields particularly vocal throughout.
Speaking in their ‘The Gloves Are Off’ episode, Shields insisted her impending opponent has declined since their amateur bout.
‘I think she’s gotten worse since 2012,’ she said. ‘Her skill level and everything. When she was in America you fought on one of the biggest cards, nobody remembers it, nobody.
Shields believes Marshall has declined since claiming a victory over her in the amateurs
‘Now she comes to the UK, her hometown, her home country and now she’s a ‘knockout queen’? But that’s the privilege of her being the Brit.’
The American also insisted Marshall is bitter having not achieved the same success as an amateur.
‘Are you angry because you never won the Olympic gold medal?’ Shields said. ‘You should be. You let your whole country down in 2012. You lost the first day and you were the favourite. You should feel terrible.’
Marshall, on the other hand, insisted she has always been better than Shields.
Marshall says she has always been better and vows to claim another win over the American
She said: ‘I’ve always had Claressa’s number… I think she’s improved. I think she’s totally different from when we boxed as amateurs.
‘She boxes more like a pro now, she’s a better fighter than what she was in 2012.
‘We’re here now and I’m totally different, physically, mentally. On September 10 I will be undisputed champion of the world.’