Former middleweight champion Savannah Marshall believes that a rematch with Claressa Shields will happen again.
Last October, Marshall lost a ten round decision to Shields in their highly anticipated undisputed fight at 160-pounds.
Marshall will attempt to bounce back in another major fight, when she moves up in weight to challenge undisputed super middleweight world champion Franchon Crews-Dezurn on July 1.
Shields returns to the ring this Saturday night, when she defends her undisputed middleweight championship in Detroit against mandatory challenger Maricela Cornejo.
Should they both win their upcoming bouts, there will be a heavy demand for a rematch.
“I’ve seen how my profile grew just from that one fight and I believe that it was down to the rivalry massively,” Marshall told Sky Sports.
“Even now, all people are saying is: ‘When’s the rematch? When’s the rematch?’ That’s what boxing’s about. It’s a business. If you haven’t got a rival, it’s not that you’re going to struggle. But that’s where it happens. They’re the fights people want. Where there’s a bit of needle.”
Crews-Dezurn is good friends with Shields and the two champions have been sparring each other to prepare for their respective title defenses.
Marshall feels that she’s the biggest money fight for Shields, which in turn makes their rematch a likely option in the future -as long as they both keep winning.
“Look I got beat, I’m not a champion anymore. But I’ve got the backing and people want to see me fight. There’s a buzz already around this fight and I don’t think she [Shields] likes that,” Marshall said.
“[Shields] wanted me to go to America. I agreed. I said I’d go to America but I want paying. It doesn’t generate the same money as it does here. I think she’s starting to realize that. I think we will eventually get there. She needs me just as much as I need her. She’s never going to make as much money fighting anyone else than what she would fighting me. I’ve learned that that’s what boxing’s about. People love confrontation. People love watching people who actually hate each other fight.”