Game of Thrones for Savannah Marshall v Australia’s Caitlin Parker in Queens Cup boxing semi-final

Marshall moved into the semi-finals of the competition in Germany last night when she defeatedan old rival, veteran Swedish star, Anna Laurell, in the last eight.

Now, the Hartlepool fighter takes on new Aussie hope Caitlin Parker in the U75 kilo semis in Stralsund.

Ironically, Marshall had prepared for this tournament by sparring previous Australian number one Kaye Scott in a training camp.

The friends and rivals shared the ring at the English Institute of Sport, in Sheffield, where Marshall is based as part of the elite Great Britain boxing squad.

Now, Marshall must look to get the better of a teenager who Australia are looking to for glory in the 2016 Olympics.

Parker has just left the youth ranks for the seniors having been rated as number two in the world.

The 18-year-old won silver at the 2014 AIBA Youth World Championships and bronze at the Youth Olympics.

So highly-rated is the 18-year-old that she will be mentored by one of her nation’s sporting legends, ex-cricket star Adam Gilchrist, in the run-up to Rio.

Parker has justified her country’s hopes by reaching the semi-finals in the Queens Cup by beating Russia’s Saadat Abduaeva last night.

While Marshall, at 24, is hardly a veteran, tonight’s match will be an intriguing battle between established world superstar and new kid on the block.

The encouraging thing is the Headland ABC hero looks to be back in the groove with the Olympic Games less than a year away.

She has experienced mixed fortunes over the last 14 months, striking gold at the Commonwealth Games and being the planet’s number one middleweight before crashing out at the Worlds at the first hurdle.

Marshall then had five months out after hand surgery and her pain deepened when she lost in her opening fight at the European Games in Baku in the summer, outpointed by new would number three Nouchka Fontijn.

But she has come back strongly, reaching the final of the Feliks Stramm Memorial tournament in Poland in September. She lost to Fontijn for gold but did have a win over Laurell on the way to the final. She defeated the giant Swede again last night, clinching a unanimous points win.

In the other semi, Germany’s Sarah Scheurich will face Canada’s Ariane Fortin, who Marshall beat to strike Commonwealth gold in Glasgow.