One of the biggest fights in women’s boxing is looking set for September, Josh Taylor has vowed to stick around at super lightweight and Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury is finally going ahead. Here are five boxing stories you might have missed this week.
Shields/Marshall Undisputed Middleweight Clash Heading To September
The Claressa Shields-Savannah Marshall undisputed middleweight showdown is set to take place on September 10th at the O2 Arena in London, according to reports from Dan Rafael.
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The details are still being finalised and an official announcement is expected in early July.
Marshall and Shields’ bitter rivalry is one that is a decade in the making. In 2012, Marshall inflicted the only defeat of Shields’ amateur or pro career, beating her in an unpaid contest in the build-up to the London Olympics.
Josh Taylor To Give Jack Catterall Rematch After Jose Zepeda Defence
Unified super lightweight champion Josh Taylor has confirmed that he's staying at 140lbs and his next fight will see him defend his WBC, IBF & WBO world titles against Jose Zepeda.
However, The Tartan Tornado has insisted the reason that he has decided to remain at the weight is to get the Jack Catterall rematch after Zepeda. Taylor’s controversial split decision win over Catterall in February has seen public opinion turn against the boxer, even leading to some disgraceful abuse being targeted towards the boxer and his family.
“I want to shut everyone up. The only reason I’m staying at the weight is: I want to fight Catterall again,” Taylor told The National.
“I don’t think it was the wrong decision [in February], but I want to shut everyone up. I want to prove that was an off night for me and that I’m one of the best fighters on the planet.
“Because of all the stick and abuse I’ve been getting, and the way Jack’s been too – mouthing off and moaning – I just want to shut his mouth. The single reason I’m staying at the weight is to shut him and everyone else up.”
Jake Paul Vs Tommy Fury “Contracts Signed” For August 6
Jake Paul and Tommy Fury’s long-awaited fight looks set to take place on August 6th at Madison Square Garden, with Amanda Serrano also in action.
Fury stated on social media on Thursday that the contracts had been signed, before Paul confirmed the bout on Friday.
“Just to let you all know that the fight is going ahead on August 6th,” Fury posted in a video.
“The contract has been signed after weeks and weeks of waiting for Jake Paul to sign up to the drug testing and potentially putting the fight at risk, he has finally signed up to the drug testing so the fight is going ahead. I’ll see you on August 6th.”
"Okay people he grew a set over night," Paul responded on Twitter.
"It’s official, Im taking this little Fury’s head off. Amanda Serrano and I dual main-event at the Mecca of boxing."
The pair were scheduled to meet in December last year before Fury pulled out with a bacterial chest infection.
Andy Ruiz To Face Luis Ortiz In September
Former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz will be back in the ring after a year away to face Luis Ortiz on September 4th in a WBC title eliminator at Los Angeles’ Crypto Arena.
Ruiz, who was last seen in May 2021, pulling himself off the canvas to win a unanimous decision against Chris Arreola, said: “I’m so excited to get back in the ring in front of all of my fans in Los Angeles on September 4.
“This is my chance to prove to everyone that I’m going to be heavyweight champion of the world again. I’m super motivated to be facing a great fighter like Luis Ortiz, so my fans can expect to see me at my best. Everyone has wanted to see this fight and we’re going to give everyone a war on fight night.”
Tough Cuban veteran Ortiz stopped former world champion Charles Martin in January and vowed to do whatever it takes to go through Ruiz.
“I’m blessed to be back in a position to get closer to achieving my goal of becoming the first heavyweight champion of the world from Cuba.
“Anyone who doubts me, has only fueled me to keep going. I know that I have to make a big statement in this fight, and that’s my plan on September 4. I respect Andy Ruiz, but he’s standing in my way and I’m going to do whatever it takes to go through him.”
Billy Joe Saunders Plotting December Return?
Two-weight world champion Billy Joe Saunders has been training at the Ingle Gym ahead of a potential comeback fight in December.
Saunders has been out of action since suffering a devastating stoppage at the fists of Saul ‘Canelo’ Alavarez back in May 2021, handing him his first career defeat. Saunders suffered a nasty eye injury in that bout and has since held his cards close to his chest with regards to a return to boxing.
“He came back a couple of weeks back just to find his feet, get away from home,” Dominic Ingle, who trained Saunders in Sheffield between 2017 and 2019, told The Star.
"He’s aiming to fight in December. His nutritionist Greg Marriott is based in Sheffield, we have just got to sit down and work out a plan of where he goes from there.
"That’s another conversation I need to have when I get back to Sheffield. It might work out, it might not.”
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