TFour years ago, in August 1998, women’s boxing was still banned in Great Britain. In the middle of the month, Couch finally became the first woman to receive a professional fight license from the British Boxing Board of Control. Couch had been forced to take the board to the Supreme Court, where she won her case after male administrators tried to argue that women were too “emotionally unstable” and “frail” to become boxers.
On Saturday night at the O2 in London, a different kind of story is being made as Britain’s first-ever women’s-only boxing card features 11 fights and 22 female fighters. America’s Claressa Shields and Britain’s Savannah Marshall will be the first women to lead a boxing promotion at O2. Even stronger is that their bout has the ingredients of a gripping match that could reflect some of the most intense and fierce rivalries among great male boxers.
Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano have already produced a potential fight of the year when they pulled off a fierce and skillful fight while becoming the first women to headline at Madison Square Garden in May, and this fight could be nearing those heights. Shields and Marshall both have professional 12-0 records and together they hold all four world middleweight titles. The American holds three of those belts, but the only blemish in her long and distinguished boxing career, as a two-time Olympic champion, happened in 2012 when Marshall defeated her at the World Amateur Championships in China.
Shields had just turned 17 and Marshall was less than a week away from her 21st birthday. The difference in age, height and reach was crucial back then – even if Shields thought she was unlucky to lose. She set out to make amends, and while Marshall’s extremely promising amateur career came to an end after winning that world championship, Shields went on to win gold at the 2012 London Olympics and four years later at the Rio Games.
The praise and titles have flown to Shields in the pro ring, but Marshall slowly, and then with increasing momentum, built her own impressive reputation. She strikes with authority and power, and in a fight that deserves its build-up as a 50-50 match, Marshall’s supporters believe she could stop Shields even late after a potentially brutal fight. Shields, who describes herself as the greatest boxer of all time, is vocal about her superiority over Marshall. Many insiders, especially in the US, expect her to outplay her British rival in a less dramatic match.
The acrimony and enmity between the two women seems genuine. Shields, overcoming a traumatic childhood darkened by rape and poverty, is in her element when it comes to trash talk. But Marshall, who is normally shy and reserved, was almost as muzzled during this unusually long and drawn-out build-up period. The fight was scheduled for September 10 but was postponed just a day before the scheduled meeting in the ring following the Queen’s death.
Mikaela Mayer (left) and Alycia Baumgardner show off their belts before their fight Photo: Zac Goodwin/PA
A similar simmering animosity reigns between Mikaela Mayer and Alycia Baumgardner, the two American superfeatherweights who hold three of the most important titles in their divisions. They lead the undercard in a fight that promises to be almost as interesting as the headline match. All of the fighters on the map had to overcome immensely difficult circumstances, as after losing weight and reaching their mental and physical peak five weeks ago, they had to repeat the grueling ordeal all over again.
Far from being “emotionally unstable” and “frail” as women have been ridiculed and sacked by British boxing officials, these fighters are formidable. In contrast, there were depressing scenes in men’s boxing a week ago when it was discovered that Conor Benn had failed a drug test while his promoters shamelessly tried to force his fight against Chris Eubank Jr. despite being “banned” by them hapless board.
In their place at the same London venue, there is now a rare chance that the courage and skill of these outstanding fighters will be given a proper platform. The opportunity to watch Marshall and Shields at work, as well as Mayer, Baumgardner and Olympians Lauren Price, Karriss Artingstall and Caroline Dubois, is far more interesting and uplifting than the embarrassing possibility that Eubank Jr. and the disgraced Benn might eventually find themselves in meet a bright outfit Sport-Wash location in the Middle East.
These inspiring women seem poised to improve a damaged and ailing sport. Boxing needs them to create a night that will be as memorable as it is historic.
Comments are closed.