Savannah Marshall is convinced her fierce rivalry with Claressa Shields will lead them to fight once again.
Hartlepool’s Marshall lost a major undisputed middleweight clash to the American star in October.
The Briton is coming back from that reverse and stepping up to super-middleweight as she takes on the undisputed 168lb world champion Franchon Crews-Dezurn on July 1, live on Sky Sports.
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Two-time Olympic gold medallist Claressa Shields believes her fight against Maricela Cornejo in front of 15,000 fans is a great opportunity to showcase women’s boxing
Meanwhile, Shields will defend her undisputed middleweight championship in Detroit this weekend. She fights Maricela Cornejo, who comes in as a short-notice replacement after Shields’ original opponent Hanna Gabriels was removed from the card due to the results of a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association test.
Marshall believes it will not be long before her and Shields are back on a collision course, especially if they both win their next fights.
“I’ve seen how my profile grew just from that one fight and I believe that it was down to the rivalry massively,” Marshall told Sky Sports.
“Even now, all people are saying is: ‘When’s the rematch? When’s the rematch?’ That’s what boxing’s about. It’s a business. If you haven’t got a rival, it’s not that you’re going to struggle. But that’s where it happens.
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Claressa Shields says she would happily fight Savannah Marshall again and beat her, but believes Marshall’s fight with Franchon Crews-Dezurn for the undisputed super-middleweight title is too soon
“They’re the fights people want. Where there’s a bit of needle.”
Marshall is headlining in Manchester against another American opponent in Crews-Dezurn, who has been sparring with Shields ahead of the contest.
“Look I got beat, I’m not a champion anymore. But I’ve got the backing and people want to see me fight. There’s a buzz already around this fight and I don’t think she [Shields] likes that,” Marshall said.
The Briton is open to travelling to the US if that’s what it takes to get the rematch with Shields.
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Savannah Marshall and Franchon Crews-Dezurn have a tense face-off at the announcement press conference for their undisputed super-middleweight title fight
But Marshall pointed out: “She wanted me to go to America. I agreed. I said I’d go to America but I want paying. It doesn’t generate the same money as it does here. I think she’s starting to realise that.
“I think we will eventually get there,” she continued. “She needs me just as much as I need her. She’s never going to make as much money fighting anyone else than what she would fighting me.
“I’ve learned that that’s what boxing’s about. People love confrontation. People love watching people who actually hate each other fight.”