Promoter Dmitriy Salita has proposed two future fights for women’s undisputed heavyweight titleholder Claressa Shields: a rematch with Savannah Marshall and an exhibition bout with Laila Ali, the Hall of Fame boxer and daughter of Muhammad Ali.
Shields, 16-0 (3 KOs), defeated Danielle Perkins last month via unanimous decision in her Flint, Michigan, homecoming to become the undisputed heavyweight titleholder. After the fight, Shields tested positive for marijuana in a post-fight drug test by the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission, which she and her team are contesting.
Salita, Shields’ longtime promoter, views Marshall as a great option. Shields won a unanimous decision over Marshall in 2022 in the latter’s native United Kingdom. Yet there is at least one problem with a rematch – Marshall hasn’t boxed since July 2023, when she won a majority decision over Franchon Crews-Dezurn.
“The fight with Savannah Marshall is a natural one that we’d love to make,” Salita told BoxingScene. “Claressa did go to England, thousands of miles away from home, in the peak of her career. Savannah would have to accept the fact that, for the fight to happen, it would have to be in the United States in order for us to seriously consider it.”
The defeat against Shields remains the only career boxing loss for Marshall, 13-1 (10 KOs). In June, Marshall stopped Mirela Vargas in the first round of a mixed martial arts event. Marshall appears to have shifted her focus to MMA for the time being.
Shields has taken MMA bouts herself, though she has always kept a foot in boxing, the sport on which she appears to be more focused at present. Shields is 2-1 in MMA bouts, most recently winning a split decision over Kelsey DeSantis last February.
“Savannah Marshall is at the top of the list just because it’s been talked about for such a long time,” Salita said. “An exhibition with Laila Ali would be fantastic for women sports and women’s boxing. Laila might also be the best available contender.
“Claressa has really broken through with popularity with her fights and it’s pretty incredible,” Salita said. “We’ve seen the numbers on social media and in other ways. She’s really breaking through in an incredible way to mainstream media. That’s really great to see.”
Shields has received more exposure recently with the release of “The Fire Inside,” a film depiction of her life, and due to her relationship with recording artist Papoose.
“We want to keep telling Clarissa’s story,” Salita said, “and I really believe she is one of the greatest athletes of this generation.”
