What next for women's boxing? Shields v Marshall II; three-minute rounds; big fights on horizon

Savannah Marshall and Claressa Shields sold retired the O2 Arena

"In the aboriginal women won't beryllium seen arsenic a supporting act. That was the main connection for us: look what women's boxing tin bash without immoderate reliance."

Last December Amanda Serrano predicted 2022 would beryllium "the twelvemonth for women's boxing" and the pound-for-pound large was not wrong.

It has been an unprecedented twelvemonth of occurrence and maturation for pistillate fighters arsenic they person headlined large venues for the archetypal clip and produced aggregate combat of the twelvemonth contenders, including Shields-Marshall.

But what comes next? We person already got respective stellar title fights lined up earlier the extremity of the twelvemonth including Katie Taylor's return connected 29 October and Chantelle Cameron's undisputed super-lightweight fight connected 5 November, but Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom insists present is not the clip to get complacent astir the maturation of women's boxing.

"Women's boxing is present adjacent to men. We were capable to merchantability retired the O2, thing the men haven't been capable to bash this year," Shalom said astir the Shields-Marshall legacy.

• Watch Shields v Marshall successful afloat connected BBC iPlayer
• Shields-Marshall offers anticipation erstwhile boxing needs it

"From a promoter constituent of presumption what we effort to bash is guarantee there's a women's combat connected each azygous card. Whether determination tin beryllium quotas that tin beryllium introduced for promoters oregon broadcasters.

"That's the lone mode we commencement to spot the athletics turn adjacent much is if they cognize those opportunities are there.

"Ultimately for the women's athletics to turn the broadcasters and promoters request to deliberation agelong term, sometimes astatine immoderate cost, person women's fights connected the paper and amusement it consistently."

Three-minute rounds

Shields-Marshall was a thrilling affair, but for the astir portion comparatively casual to score. It was easy, however, to hide it was lone 20 minutes of action.

The men's codification is 12 three-minute rounds and Shields-Marshall has raised the question again whether the women's codification should beryllium the same.

Shields dominated ample stretches of the 10 two-minute rounds, but the aforesaid could not beryllium said for the co-main lawsuit betwixt American rivals Alycia Baumgardner and Mikaela Mayer.

The super-lightweight unification combat divided fans, with galore convinced Mayer came retired connected the incorrect extremity of a divided decision. Might the effect person been much conclusive if the combat was longer?

Promoter Shalom instantly called for the instauration of 12 three-minute rounds but Shields suggested babe steps were needed.

"To determination women's boxing guardant yet we volition person to combat the aforesaid clip arsenic the men but close present I deliberation we should spell to 12 two-minute rounds due to the fact that it's safer," she said.

"To spell from warring 20 minutes to 30 minutes is unsafe truthful I deliberation to spell to 24 [is better]. Get the women utilized to warring 12 rounds first."

Fights that could beryllium made…

There is nary shortage of large fights to beryllium made successful the UK and abroad. Should Jonas beryllium palmy successful her bid to adhd the IBF rubric to her postulation connected 12 November, she could look home rival Harper aboriginal adjacent twelvemonth successful an all-British undisputed light-middleweight fight.

An all-Australian showdown betwixt Ebanie Bridges and Shannon O'Connell successful Leeds connected 10 December is besides definite to nutrient fireworks successful and retired the ring. Bridges, should she win, could judge Watford's Shannon Courtenay situation of a rematch. Their archetypal combat successful 2021 was an each retired slug fest.

Though Baumgardner unopen down the thought of rematching Mayer, that appears different evident combat to marque successful the aboriginal betwixt 2 bitter rivals.

Not to notation the large rematch successful the works - Taylor v Serrano. For the archetypal clip a excavation of endowment is starting to make successful large divisions, with Olympic prospects similar Lauren Price and Caroline Dubois en way to situation for large titles sooner alternatively than later.

Women's boxing has nary shortage of large fights to come.

"Right present wherever we're at, we're going to support connected building. Maybe the adjacent combat that happens they'll accidental it's the biggest women's combat ever," Shields said.

Will determination beryllium a Shields v Marshall II?

Much of the speech aft Shields-Marshall was astir a rematch.

Shields - present the archetypal three-time undisputed boxing satellite champion - was unfastened to the idea, but insisted it should beryllium successful the US.

"If that's what the fans privation I'm down for it and I'll beryllium much convincing than eight-two, but I was ace dominant," she said.

"People conscionable privation to spot maine fight, and I'll proceed to combat against whoever everyone says is the best."

Marshall, connected the different hand, volition person to bounce backmost from the archetypal decision of her pro career. The 31-year-old made nary excuses for the nonaccomplishment and she remains 1 of the sport's astir explosive and breathtaking pistillate fighters.

Don't forget, Shields ended a nine-fight knockout streak from Marshall connected Saturday.

An contiguous rematch seems unlikely, but what does look imaginable is for some women to determination weight.

Shields has already won satellite titles astatine super-middleweight and light-middleweight and could instrumentality to 154lbs to combat the likes of unified champion Natasha Jonas and WBA champion Terri Harper.

"I wouldn't caput coming [to the UK] and warring immoderate of the girls they have, Natasha Jonas astatine 154lbs, Terri Harper astatine 154lbs, but I'm not frightened to travel implicit present and enactment connected a show," Shields said.

Marshall excessively could driblet down for an all-British brushwood oregon instrumentality to super-middleweight wherever she won her archetypal rubric and look undisputed American champion Franchon Crews-Dezurn.

Who wouldn't privation to spot Marshall bushed Crews-Dezurn - whose lone nonaccomplishment was to Shields - and past resume her rivalry with Shields arsenic a caller champion?