by Claressa Shields v Savannah Marshall promises to be one of the fights of the year and Deontay Wilder is back.
Plus, Mikaela Mayer and Mel C is a link we didn’t see coming.
All that and more is in this week’s roundup of the top talking points in the world of boxing.
Shields v Marshall will be a royal rumble
Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall will finally be able to reconcile their long-standing beef with each other on Saturday when they meet at London’s O2 Arena. The pair will fight for the undisputed middleweight crown and have not had good things to say about each other during the build-up.
American fighter Shields, 27, has held multiple world championships in three weight classes and calls herself the best female fighter of all time (GWOAT).
Britain’s Marshall, 31, meanwhile, holds the WBO middleweight title from 2020. She is the only boxer to beat Shields – when they met as amateurs in 2012 – and she doesn’t mind flaunting it every now and then.
However, not everyone is impressed by this particular achievement.
The match was originally scheduled for September 10, but was postponed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
In honor of this, a new zone was created for the rescheduled event.
Fan predictions for the outcome of this match go both ways.
If Marshall can pull off a win, then, as she previously said, we may be seeing a rematch soon.
Mikaela Mayer is all about girl power
On the undercard at the O2 Arena, Mikaela Mayer, 32, and Alycia Baumgardner, 28, will meet in an All-American super-featherweight unification clash.
Mayer has in the past he said will break out to a Spice Girls song after receiving a personal message from Mel C.
Tyson Fury shows off a classic rope-a-dope routine
Deontay Wilder returns to the ring this weekend to face 38-year-old Swedish-Finnish boxer Robert Helenius. It will be Wilder’s first fight since the 36-year-old heavyweight’s trilogy clash with Tyson Fury occurred just over a year ago.
On the anniversary of that epic battle, the old dancer offered him a few slightly backwards words of encouragement.
Pretty impressive how Fury manages to drop his man before landing that hit. Teacher at work.
Eubank Jr shows a needle
Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn were supposed to fight this weekend. The match had to be made postponedafter Ben, 26, tested positive for a fertility drug banned by the British Boxing Board of Control.
Many fans have since expressed their disappointment. Meanwhile, Eubank Jr has stepped in to offer his help to make amends with his rival’s fans.
The 33-year-old made a point at the weekend by showing the world that he would have made the designated catchweight for the fight, despite having to drop two weight classes and despite spending much of the lead. eating junk food in public.
Some pundits were shocked that the race got as close as it actually did.
Amir Khan puts Pep Guardiola through his paces
And finally, it’s no wonder Manchester City have been quick out of the blocks this year too – training with a former world champion.
