Hartlepool boxer Savannah Marshall's message to old foe Claressa Shields after MMA debut win
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
The undisputed super-middleweight world champion survived early takedowns from Brazilian opponent Mirela Vargas before resorting to punching power to secure a first-round victory.
With old boxing foe Claressa Shields watching the action at the Utilita Arena, in Newcastle, Marshall reiterated her hope that the pair will soon meet in a Professional Fighters League (PFL) cage.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdShe said: “Are we getting it on in the cage or what? Let's do it. Full MMA rules.”


Marshall, now 33, was beaten on points by Shields in a pulsating 10-round world middleweight unification bout at London’s O2 Arena in 2022.
She then stepped up a weight to secure the super-middleweight crown by defeating Franchon Crews-Dezurn in Manchester last July before turning her attentions to MMA.
Arriving in the cage on Saturday night in a Newcastle United football shirt for her PFL debut, Marshall was quickly felled twice by her opponent before unleashing a tirade of punches to force a stoppage win.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdDescribing the experience as “brutal”, she said afterwards: “I just remember thinking ‘get up, get up’.


"Fair play to Mirela. She is a lot better than what YouTube says. A hell of a lot better.
"But it just goes to show. I resorted straight back to my punching stance.
"She caught me with that leg sweep twice and I remember going down on the floor and her knee missed by head by that much and I thought ‘bloody hell, she could have took my head off’.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad"But fair play to her. She is a tough, tough girl. But I caught with some heavy shots and she was thrown back.”


As for a rematch with Shields – who has a cage record of two victories and one defeat – a choice of venue has been considered a potential sticking point after the American expressed a preference for a States fight.
But Marshall insisted after her Newcastle win: “We could go to Saudi, we could go anywhere. I really am not bothered.”
Describing Shields as resembling a “starfish” after she was felled in a previous fight, she added: “That is how you get up off the floor.”