Via Barry Holbrook: In a devastating display of punching power, WBO women’s middleweight champion Savannah Marshall (12-0, 10 KOs) defeated dominant opponent Femke Hermans (12-4.5 KOs) by knockout. live the third round on Saturday night in front of a stunned crowd at Newcastle Arena, Newcastle, England.
(Image source: Lawrence Lustig / BOXXER)
It was a one-way fight with 30-year-old Marshall, beating 32-year-old Belgian Femke in the first and second half. Really, there was little competitiveness in either of the first two rounds because of the huge disparity in punch power.
In the third round, Marshall nailed Femke with a HUGE fruit to the head causing her to fall down to count. Referee Howard Foster paused the game at 2:59 of the third round.
With the win, Marshall is expected to take on the next role of American Claressa Shields. 27-year-old Flint, Michigan native of Shields, holds IBF, WBA & WBC WBA, WBC.
It will be a tough fight for the highly skilled Shields to win because he will need to avoid getting hit in that fight. With the power of Marshall’s one punch, she could end the fight at any moment.
Undefeated WBA 12th-ranked defending champion Florian Marku (11-0-1, 7 KOs) stopped Chris Jeninks (23-5-3, 8 KOs) with a knockout in the fourth round.
Marku was knocked out by Jenkins in the first three rounds, but in the fourth round he injured him with his large right hand. The blow caused Jenkins to bend forward.
Marku then hurls continuous shots at Jenkins’ head, missing most of it but connecting with a couple leaves him reeling.
Jenkins fought against the ropes and was slashed in the right hand by Marku with a hammer.
Referee Steve Gray intervened and halted the match when he found Jenkins completely helpless and defenseless. Overtime is 1:41.
After the war, Marku, 29, an Albanian, called Amir Khan. It’s a fight he and his promoters want. I’m not sure if Khan was interested in that fight.
He wants a rematch with Kell Brook, not a fight against Marku. It would be a low-level affair if it happened.
“I’m really satisfied with my performance, but believe me, I haven’t shown anything yet,” Marku said after the match against Boxing King Media reflect on his win over Jenkins.
“I know myself and that’s why I believe in myself because I know what I can do. I’m still studying. If I do the things that I can, you will all be surprised, but I am still learning.
“You see some things that I changed in my game plan. In boxing, I like to raise my arms and block shots, but this is not boxing. This is about being a boxer and boxing more.
ONE PEN HUGE 💥@ Savmarshall1 delivered and then immediately stared down at Claressa Shields at the edge of the ring. (via @Boxxer)
– ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) April 2, 2022
“I think I showed off some of the new things in the game that I worked on with Grant. Nobody did that to Chris that I did in the four rounds that I did with him. I think Chris has fought some really good names, and he’s got the British title. No one stopped him for four rounds the way I stopped him.
“I give my heart. I don’t care if I pass out and they take me out of the ring in a crate. I’d rather go out of the ring like this than lose. Boxing is my life. I’m not doing this because someone pushed me to do it. I love it.
“When I saw blood in my eyes, I thought, ‘The referee can stop the game.’ That’s why I keep speeding up. Jenkins when he’s blocking, he always lowers his hand and this [the top of his head]it was open,” said Marku.
“100%, this is going to be huge,” Marku said when asked if he wants to fight in Albania next. “We will be in a football stadium, with 35,000 Albanians and this will be huge.
“Who doesn’t like that?” Marku said when asked if he wanted to fight Amir Khan next. “But I am a problem for Amir Khan, and I don’t think he is stupid enough to accept a fight with me. I will destroy him.
Marku said: “I will send him home to sleep, I will end his career.
Super middleweight Zak Chelli (11-1-1, 6 KOs) beat replacement Jack Gilgannon (11-1, 3 KOs) with a knockout in the sixth round.
Unbeatable middleweight prospect Brad Rea (13-0.5 KOs) beat Lukasz Ndafoluma (20-5, 10 KOs) by eight-round decision. The score is 78-73.
