Breaking: Pro English boxer Savannah Marshall signs multi-year MMA deal with PFL
Savannah Marshall has just signed with the PFL in a move that's generally unheard of for high-level boxers. The towering British pugilist is one of the best women's boxers in the world, boasting a record of 13 wins and just one loss, with her lone defeat coming at the hands of boxing GWOAT Claressa Shields.
Furthermore, Marshall is the reigning WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO and The Ring female super middleweight champion. Unfortunately, the landscape of women's boxing isn't conducive to the higher paydays expected of fighters at her level, so she has done what few boxers do and signed with the PFL to pursue MMA.
In doing so, she is following in the footsteps of Claressa Shields, her longtime rival, who also signed with the PFL and recently re-signed with the promotion. The two women have a storied feud, with Savannah Marshall being the only woman to have ever beaten Claressa Shields, with her win taking place on the amateur scene.
Boxers don't typically sign with MMA promotions. Instead, it is usually mixed martial artists who pursue boxing matches in search of a higher payday. Other boxers who have joined the PFL in pursuit of MMA glory include polarizing influencer boxer Jake Paul and renowned women's boxer Amanda Serrano.
Given her heated rivalry with Claressa Shields, the PFL has a ready-made matchup for Savannah Marshall once the two women find their footing in mixed martial arts. Unfortunately, the boxing GWOAT is yet to fight since a disappointing loss in 2021 to Abigail Montes in MMA.
Meanwhile, Marshall will likely need a year or so of MMA training to prepare her for the dimensions and variables of a completely new sport that she has little familiarity with other than its incorporation of boxing.
How many times have Savannah Marshall and Claressa Shields fought each other?
It's fair to say that Shields and Marshall don't like each other, but they've only faced each other twice. Savannah Marshall first faced the GWOAT in 2012 at the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships. Years later, the two squared off under professional boxing rules in 2022.
Despite seemingly having the pyschological advantage of having beaten Shields before, Marshall failed to repeat her previous success against the GWOAT and was handed a unanimous decision loss for her troubles despite her vaunted knockout power.