Shadasia Green will finally land her overdue title shot.
For the second time this year, it won’t come against her intended target.
Previously undisputed super middleweight champion Savannah Marshall was forced to relinquish her physical WBC title due to a lingering, undisclosed injury that will keep her out of the ring through next spring. The unbeaten Green will now challenge for the vacant title versus an opponent to be determined by the sanctioning body.
“The WBC Board of Governors has decided to place Savannah Marshall as Champion in Recess and will order a fight for the vacant Super Middleweight world title between Green and an opponent to be designate by The WBC Women Championship Committee,” the WBC confirmed Thursday in a general statement. “Savannah Marshall defeated Crews-Dezurn and unfortunately sustained an injury which will keep her outside of the ring at least until April 2024.
“We wish a prompt and successful recovery to Savanah Marshall.”
Also noted in the ruling, Green (13-0, 11KOs) was due to face Crews-Dezurn earlier this year. The fight was actually ordered by the WBC, then immediately rescinded to first allow England’s Marshall to challenge for the crown. Marshall (13-1, 10KOs) moved up from middleweight to outpoint Baltimore’s Crews-Dezurn (8-2, 2KOs) over ten rounds this past July 1 in Manchester, England.
Green accepted a stay-busy fight while awaiting her due title shot. The 33-year-old contender from Paterson, New Jersey went the ten-round distance for the first time in a unanimous decision over Olivia Curry on August 5 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The show was headlined by Jake Paul, Green’s promoter and co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions with whom she signed in January.
Interestingly, Crews-Dezurn is ranked number two in the WBC super middleweight ratings.
One spot below her is Elin Cederroos (8-2, 4KOs), who lost to Crews-Dezurn in their full unification bout last April 30 at Madison Square Garden in New York City and via sixth-round knockout to Green on February 4 at MSG’s Hulu Theater. Former unified middleweight titlist Christina Hammer is number-four, and has won four straight since an April 2019 defeat to Claressa Shields in their full unification championship in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Green and Shields (14-0, 2KOs) have previously engaged in a very public feud. Shields has previously served as a unified super middleweight titlist but has not fought at the weight since her fifth pro bout.
Marshall still holds the WBA, IBF and WBO titles. The other sanctioning bodies have not yet commented nor ruled on her current injury status.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox