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Savannah Marshall Cancels Next Bout Due To Hand Injury
When last in the ring, on October 16, WBO middleweight champion Savannah “The Silent Assassin” Marshall (11-0, 9 KO’s) took on Lolita Muzeya. The match stood as her second title defense. Marshall initially snagged the vacant title on October 31, 2020 by defeating Hannah Rankin. Despite wiping Muzeya out in a swift two round undressing and stoppage, Marshall did not walk away unscathed. During that match, she sustained a hand injury. Initially, it appeared to be little more than a pesky annoyance but it seems that the problem was a bit bigger than that.
As a result, Marshall, 30, has pulled out of her December 11 fight date set for Birmingham. The Silent Assassin made the announcement herself via her social media. While she had the date locked away, the WBO champion did not have an official opponent on the books. The canceled December 11 battle was being looked at as an appetizer for a 2022 showdown with undisputed junior middleweight champion Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (11-0, 2 KO’s). Both women were slated to fight on the December date. Shields, 26, is still scheduled to face Ema Kozin, as previously planned.
Certainly this news comes as a bit of a disappointment, but fight fans should rest easy knowing that the bigger Shields versus Marshall dustup is not in jeopardy. The Silent Assassin and T-Rex have shared a very public rivalry since Marshall defeated Shields in the amateurs. Marshall is the only person, professional or amateur, to beat Shields in the boxing ring. The Flint, Michigan native has sought out revenge ever since. Both women are still hungry for their showdown and the present injury should not be a factor in derailing their upcoming clash.
By: Bakari Simpson
