Savannah Marshall believes Claressa Shields is out of order for bringing race into their world title clash.
Marshall, 31, fights Shields on Saturday for the undisputed middleweight titles in the first-ever all-female card in boxing history. The rivals' history dates back to a decade ago when Marshall handed Shields the only loss on her otherwise pristine record.
The pair have been going back and forth since the fight was announce with Marshall largely unbothered by Shields’ goading attempts, but she had now claimed comments she made about race were a step too far. “The only thing is, and it’s not really gotten under my skin, but she’s mentioned race a couple of times,” Marshall told reporters.
“For me, race shouldn’t be mentioned in sport and I thought, 'Claressa rail it in, you’re about to cross the line there’. That’s probably the only thing, but like I said she needs to be careful. It never affected me personally but when she’s saying it I’m thinking ‘hang on Claressa’. That shouldn’t be involved in sport, what’s she’s playing at? It’s no wonder people don’t like her with comments like that.”
It is not clear which comment Marshall was referring to, but in an interview with Seconds Out, Shields said of her rival: “She’s a hater, she wishes she was me. She wishes she had the belts and the gold medals, but she doesn't. Marshall just wants to be me, she wishes she was black and everything. It’s just sad.”
Who wins this Saturday - Claressa Shields or Savannah Marshall? Let us know your prediction in the comments section below
The bookies have Marshall and Shields dead even with both women unbeaten in 12 professional fights. There is an array of talent on the undercard as Alycia Baumgardner faces Mikaela Mayer in a super-featherweight unification fight with Olympic gold medalist Lauren Price also competing. Marshall is honoured to headline the first women's’ event and insisted it’s a turning point for women's’ sport.
"Three years ago I boxed at The O2, I was on at about 8’o’clock and I was the only female on the card," she added. "Three years later I’m at the top of the bill on an all-female card, that’s progress. It’s a brilliant moment for me, when I first turned professional this is all I wanted now that I’ve got."
