Undisputed super middleweight champion Franchon Crews-Dezurn plans to give Savannah Marshall a rude awakening when they meet in the ring.
Crews-Dezurn will defend her WBC, WBO, WBA and IBF world titles against Marshall on June 17 at the AO Arena in Manchester.
Their bout will be the co-featured pay-per-view attraction to the middleweight rematch between Liam Smith vs Chris Eubank Jr.
Marshall and Crews-Dezurn have tasted defeat to the same opponent – three division champion Claressa Shields.
In her last fight, in October on 2022, Marshall suffered her first career defeat when Shields outfought her over ten rounds to become the undisputed champion at middleweight.
“The difference is she had 10 years, 10 months and 10 rounds to prepare for Claressa Shields. Myself, I had two and a half weeks and Claressa is that good so I give her credit there. But for me I’m just a different animal,” the champion told Sky Sports News.
Marshall decided to move up in weight to pursue more gold.
Crews-Dezurn believes Marshall is a weight bully who could have fought at 168 a long time ago and intentionally dropped to 160 in order to have a size advantage.
Marshall was a feared puncher at middleweight and blew away most of her opponents inside the distance.
Crews-Dezurn is predicting tremendous win over an opponent who is used to facing smaller fighters.
“Going down to middleweight [for Marshall’s previous title fights] made her a weight bully,” Crews-Dezurn said.
“But I’m a true super middleweight and I feel like she’ll feel the difference in power, physicality and everything. It’s going to be fun. She knows. The difference will be just facing me.”