Dmitriy Salita, promoter for undisputed middleweight champion Claressa Shields, has no issue with exploring the possibility of a rematch with Savannah Marshall, who holds three world titles at 168-pounds.
Marshall defeated Shields when they were amateurs. For Shields, it still remains as her only defeat as an amateur or pro.
Last October in London, they finally met in the pros, with Shields winning a unanimous decision to unify the middleweight division.
Marshall would later move up to 168 and defeat Franchon Crews-Dezurn to become the undisputed champion at 168. An injury, which prevented her from making a mandatory defense, has removed Marshall from the WBC belt – but she has the ability to force a rematch with Crews-Dezurn, who earlier this month captured the vacant WBC belt.
Despite the move in weight, Marshall is still chasing a rematch with Shields – an option her team is willing to consider.
“People keep asking me about the rematch with Savannah Marshall. It’s a fight that’s also natural because that rivalry is also a natural rivalry. It’s not manufactured. You don’t have to tell either fighter what to say, how to act, they genuinely dislike each other,” Salita said.
“Claressa travelled thousands of miles away from home to avenge that controversial loss as an amateur and she did it at the peak of her career. There’s not a lot of American fighters that in the peak of their career, who have been Olympic champions, have travelled to the country of their rival to fight them. Claressa did it and she won in spectacular fashion and gained tens and hundreds of thousands of fans abroad. A true world champion is what she is.”
Shields has a contract with MMA organization PFL.
Earlier this year, Marshall dipped her own foot in MMA waters by signing an agreement with PFL – which opens the door to have a rematch with Shields in another sport.
“Their rivalry’s so great whatever they do, if they play chess, people are going to want to see it,” Salita said.
“I believe 10 out of 10 times Claressa wins the fight but Savannah is a very good fighter. I believe that fight is always going to be entertaining and exciting. But Claressa keeps getting better, keeps getting stronger, her confidence is now on another level but we welcome the rematch. For the rematch, both have been victorious [since their last fight], we’re open to exploring it.”