Savannah Marshall vs Claressa Shields delayed by ‘four-five weeks’ as Briton has ‘small operation’

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Savannah Marshall’s fight against Claressa Shields has been delayed by ‘four or five weeks’, according to the Briton’s promoter Ben Shalom.

Marshall and Shields were expected to meet in July in a huge clash for women’s boxing and the sport as a whole, but the Hartlepool fighter recently had a “small operation” that has necessitated the postponement of the bout.

Marshall, 30, holds the WBO women’s middleweight title, while American Shields, 27, is undisputed light-welterweight champion and has held belts in numerous divisions. Both fighters have unbeaten records at 12-0.

Marshall is the only woman to have ever beaten Shields in boxing, having defeated the American in an amateur bout before both women turned professional.

“Savannah had to have a small operation that unexpectedly required her to need a few weeks of recovery,” Shalom told Sky Sports this week.

“That meant, obviously, that July was too early, which means that we’ll just go back four or five weeks.

“Hopefully Claressa is going to be sensible and accept that both of them need to be fit and ready for what is the biggest fight in both of their careers – and one of the biggest fights in the sport.”

Shields’ promoter Dmitriy Salita said: “Shields vs Marshall is a mega fight and a mega sporting event, which can raise the level of women’s sports.

“I certainly hope the fight can get finalised.

“Claressa is ready, all is confirmed from our side; the ball is in Savannah’s court, and we are waiting for confirmation from her team.”

Marshall last fought in April, stopping Femke Hermans in the third round. Meanwhile, Shields last competed in February, when she outpointed Ema Kozin.

At the end of April, Ireland’s Katie Taylor defended her status as undisputed lightweight champion against unified featherweight title holder Amanda Serrano.

The bout, which Taylor won via split decision, was billed as the biggest in the history of women’s boxing. The fighters were the first females to headline a combat sports event at New York City’s iconic Madison Square Garden.