10pm: Shields v Marshall – Marshall by Points Or Decision
9pm: Mayer v Baumgardner – Mayer by Points Or Decision
8pm: Dubois v Koleva – Dubois by KO
6pm: Price v Belik – Price by KO
5pm: Artingstall v Sakharov – Artingstall by Points Or Decision
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The all-women’s event at the O2 Arena in London this Saturday includes two massive undisputed fights – in the middleweight division self-proclaimed ‘GWOAT’ Claressa Shields meets Hartlepool’s hitwoman Savannah Marshall, and in the super featherweight class Mikaela Mayer takes on Alycia Baumgardner.
10pm: Shields v Marshall – Marshall points or decision
TV: Sky Sports
Regardless of sex, this is one of the biggest fights of the year: it’s for all the marbles, there’s a long rivalry and the pair really don’t like each other. Shields owns three quarters of the crown and Marshall has the other piece, but it’s the Brit who is 1-0 up in the head-to-head.
Way back in 2012, when the Michigan woman was just 17, the pair met at a world championships. The slightly older and bigger Savannah did enough to win the fight and inflict Claressa’s first, and still only ever, defeat.
The reason the rematch never happened in the amateurs was because Marshall couldn’t replicate that form on the world stage – she won Europeans and Commonwealths but lapses in confidence seemed to cost her in subsequent Worlds and Olympics. Shields, on the other hand, had no issues with her confidence and went on to win two Olympics and two Worlds before turning pro.
And as a prizefighter, Shields won her first belt at 168-pounds in her third bout, she unified in her fourth fight, she moved down to middleweight and cleaned out the division by her ninth contest, and became undisputed in the super welterweight division too just two fights later.
Women’s boxing doesn’t have the depth of the men’s side, but that is still seriously impressive. Marshall is a top talent but even she only won a world title in her ninth pro bout, and this will be her first fight against another current champ.
Both boxers are unbeaten in 12 paid contests but there’s a difference in their KO ability. Claressa is the stockier, more powerful-looking athlete, but she has only notched up two stoppages compared to Sav’s 10.
Marshall is trained by Peter Fury, uncle of Tyson, and she has the long and languid family style – she’ll move a lot, switch stances, throw range-finders, and then an off-rhythm uppercut or short hook. Shields will look to take the centre of the ring and use head movement to move into range to land her fast hands.
I would have edged towards Shields a couple of years ago but the ‘GWOAT’ has been training and fighting in MMA recently in order to give herself a new challenge. Two minute rounds make it almost impossible to separate well-matched opponents, and I can’t see either woman being stopped – I have to go with the better value price and pick Marshall to get the decision on points.
9pm: Mayer v Baumgardner – Mayer Points Or Decision
TV: Sky Sports
The main support act might not have the historic grudge of the main event but it has just as much fresh animosity – it came to a head over a bone-crushing handshake at the fight week meeting a few days ago. Mikaela Mayer brings two 130-pound straps to the ring and Alycia Baumgardner has one of the other major baubles, and the winner goes into the top five pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
Mikaela is literally a giant of the division – it’s remarkable she can make the limit at the weigh-in, but it gives her a size advantage on the night. The 2016 Olympian is known for her speed and workrate, but Baumgardner appears to have the advantage in power.
‘The Bomb’ Baumgardner took her title with a devastating KO of Britain’s Terri Harper, but I expect her to lose in London this weekend. I don’t think Mayer has the pop to stop Alycia but I think her gas tank will be enough to get her over the line after 10 hard rounds of action. It’s Mayer by Points or Decision here.
8pm: Dubois v Koleva – Dubois by KO
TV: Sky Sports
Maybe the most exciting prospect in British boxing is Caroline Dubios – the 21-year-old London lightweight takes on veteran Milena Koleva this Saturday in just her fourth pro contest. The Bulgarian went the distance with Katie Taylor in 2017 but she’s lost twice already this year – I’ll back Dubois to win by KO.
REST OF UNDERCARD
The other two stand-out names on the card are recent Tokyo Olympic medallists Lauren Price and Kariss Artingstall. Price takes on Timea Belik (6pm), and the Welsh welterweight can score her first professional stoppage, while Kariss faces experienced featherweight Marina Sakharov (5pm) and Artingstall should get another points victory.
Boxing Tips
10pm: Shields v Marshall – Marshall by Points Or Decision
9pm: Mayer v Baumgardner – Mayer by Points Or Decision
8pm: Dubois v Koleva – Dubois by KO
6pm: Price v Belik – Price by KO
5pm: Artingstall v Sakharov – Artingstall by Points Or Decision
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
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