Claressa Shields claims Savannah Marshall is "terrified" of showdown

Claressa Shields has claimed Savannah Marshall is “terrified” of a blockbuster fight between the pair. 

Shields, who currently holds the WBC, WBA and IBF middleweight titles, is hoping WBO middleweight champion Marshall does not back out of their bout. 

According to Metro.co.uk, the fight is close to being confirmed for July. But Shields is not convinced her opponent wants to take part. 

“I am already fully prepared to win this fight and to go to the UK to fight her,” she said. “I have been telling people for years, she is terrified of me. 

“No matter how many girls she has knocked out or what her record may show, she knows I am a different kind of animal and she is not able to knock me out or walk all over me. It is going to be the toughest fight of her life.”

The American has fought Marshall once before, losing to the British star at the Women’s World Boxing Championships in 2012.

As a result, Marshall is the only competitor to beat Shields at any level in boxing so far.

“That win when I was 17 is where her confidence comes from,” Shields said. “I have already proven that I am better than her, with my two Olympic gold medals, my world championships, my world titles in three divisions.

“I am hoping it is going to be this summer because I have other things I want to do before the end of the year.”

“I don’t have time to be waiting around for Savannah Marshall to show up,” she said. “I have got business to attend to in MMA in 2023 and then I am getting married in 2024. 

“So I don’t really have time to wait for ‘Marshmallow’ to get her s**t together. I am never going to put my own career on hold for Savannah Marshall or for anybody.”

The fight between Shields and Marshall, touted to take place at St James’ Park, would be