Nick Peet: Newcastle Boxing Preview

ONE of the most exciting new stars of British boxing returns to the ring at the Newcastle Arena on Saturday night.

Whilst Chris Eubank Jr ensures the national press will be in attendance and local favourite Lewis Ritson guarantees a packed house of jubilant Geordies, don’t be surprised if the girl from nearby Hartlepool steals the show.

Savannah Rose Marshall may only be 10 fights into her professional career but the ‘Silent Assassin’ is already WBO middleweight champion of the world, largely thanks to the dynamite she carries in her fists.

One of the biggest criticisms of women’s game is the restrictive two-minute round structure and how the decreased time limit ill-affords even the very best champions the opportunity to rack up highlight reel knockouts.

Both Clarissa Shields and Katie Taylor – two of the biggest attractions in female boxing today – carry just 18% and 31% career KO ratios, meagre stats compared to champions in the men’s side of the sport.

Yet Marshall, 30, is having no such problem getting rid of her opponents; boasting an 80% finish rate, one of the highest in the history of female professional boxing.

80%…@SavMarshall1 holds the highest KO % amongst all of the current active female world champions

Soon to be 82% as she faces Lolita Muzeya this Saturday.

WBO World Female Middleweight Title Utilita Arena, Newcastle @SkySportsBoxing#Boxing #SavannahMarshall pic.twitter.com/2znAN5qegE

— MTK Global Boxing (@MTKGlobal) October 13, 2021

A former amateur star, despite failing to medal at both London 2012 and Rio 2016, Marshall became the first British woman to win gold at an Amateur World Championships in 2012, where she also became the only person ever to defeat two-time Olympic gold medallist Shields.

It was after being on the receiving end of a dubious judge’s decision in Brazil that Marshall was initially signed to the professional ranks by Floyd Mayweather – himself a victim of Olympic Games politics – and later made her debut on the undercard of Floyd’s infamous ‘Money Fight’ versus Conor McGregor.

However, it is the link up with trainer Peter Fury that has proven the key partnership to unlocking her star potential. There is not a more fruitful relationship in British boxing today between fighter and coach than the one they have quickly built together.

Marshall looks smooth and accomplished as a pro, despite her still novice experience, and is undoubtedly pound-for-pound one of the most polished Brit’s prizefighting today.

Unbeaten Lolita Muzeya arrived in the North East earlier this week full of ambition. But her world title opportunity arrives in a weight class two divisions above her own and she’ll soon discover that making the jump up from Tanzania champion to world level is more of a leap than a step.

The African’s impressive 16-0 (8 KO) record means she’ll likely come out swinging, but Marshall has the size, reach, power and form to clock up another viral KO.

Add value to your betting slip by adding in a knockout victory for Eubank too, with perhaps a couple of points decision victories for Ritson and Marshall’s training partner and heavyweight Hughie Fury.

TIP: Marshall KO 4-6, plus Acca: Marshall & Eubank KOs + Ritson & Fury Wpts