By: Sean Crose
Saturday affords a plethora of notable fights, all at completely different occasions, which is welcome aid for followers craving matches of notice. One of probably the most attention-grabbing playing cards of the weekend is the one taking place at London’s O2 Arena. For that’s the place two of probably the most vital bouts within the present combat sport will transpire. What’s extra, there’s a variety of historical past and dangerous blood to be discovered within the leadup to the cardboard’s high matches, which makes issues all of the extra intriguing. These fights have been imagined to go down a number of weeks in the past, however the dying of Queen Elizabeth II led to the proceedings being postponed for a brief time frame.
WBC, WBO and IBF middleweight champion Claressa Shields has referred to herself as the best ladies’s boxer of all time. And whether or not you imagine that or not, it’s arduous to disclaim the 12-0 former Olympian’s dominance and really spectacular resume. In reality, the one fighter to ever put a blemish on Shield’s file is Savanna Marshall, who holds the WBO middleweight title and who will likely be Shield’s opponent in tomorrow’s primary occasion. While it’s true the 12-0 Marshall’s win over Shields occurred within the amateurs, outdated wounds die arduous.
Make no mistake about it – Shields and Marshall aren’t followers of each other. But in comparison with Mikayla Mayer and Alycia Baumgardner, Shields and Marshall might was nicely be the very best of buddies. There is SERIOUS hostility to be discovered between the 17-0 Mayer and the 12-1 Baumgardner. What’s extra, the IBF, WBO and WBC tremendous featherweight titles will likely be at stake after they combat on Saturday. Simply put, there’s so much on the road right here for every fighter. Both the Shields-Marshall and Mayer-Baumgardner bouts are scheduled for ten two minute rounds. The card will likely be aired in America reside on ESPN+ Saturday beginning at 2:30 pm jap time.
