Savannah Marshall On a Mission to Claim Franchon Crews-Dezurn’s Throne!
On July 1, former WBO women’s middleweight champion Savannah Marshall (12-1, 10 KOs) will step up to 168 pounds to challenge the reigning undisputed super middleweight champion Franchon Crew-Dezurn (8-1, 2 KOs) in Manchester, England. The fight has been billed and promoted as “All or Nothing”. That has defined the mindset of Marshall as she hopes to become a two-division world champion.
It was Crew-Dezurn who pushed the initiative for this contest. The super middleweight champion attended Marshall’s middleweight unification clash against Claressa Shields in October 2022. Marshall ended up losing that contest by unanimous decision. Crews-Dezurn approached Marshall afterward and told Marshall she would give her a shot should he move up in weight. After Marshall took time off the get over the setback against Shields, the former middleweight champion accepted her challenge, and the match was made.
FAMILIAR FOES
Marshall and Crews-Dezurn have known each other since they were amateurs. So, the challenger knows full well the task at hand. During an interview with Boxxer, the former middleweight champion sized up her opponent.
“She’s very smart. She uses what she’s got to her advantage . . . She’s a big girl. Her pace drops dramatically halfway through, where I’m quite the opposite. I’m more of a slow starter, and I pick up the pace as the rounds go on . . . She’s dirty. She was dirty back in the amateurs, and she’s dirty now.”
Both ladies like to fight on the front foot. The defending champion is the physically stronger woman, but Marshall has more one-shot punching power. On paper, it shapes a rough and exciting contest. Crews-Dezurn is looking to leave the ring with the belts still wrapped around her waist. But Marshall warns she is hungry to get back on top and win another world title.
“I lost my last belt, so I’ve got nothing. I’m coming to the table with nothing and I’m gonna leave with everything.”
