Savannah Marshall and Claressa Shields have the first rivalry in women’s boxing to take the sport to new heights, according to promoter Ben Shalom.

Both England’s Marshall and American Shields will defend their unbeaten professional records as they top the bill on the first ever all-female boxing card in Britain.

“To have the first deep-rooted rivalry in women’s boxing is a special moment for the sport,” Shalom told BBC Radio Tees.

“It’s a moment that will see the sport go from a fringe level to a very well known mainstream event. That is what I expect 10 September to be.”

Shields, 27, who holds the IBF, WBA and WBC middleweight and Ring magazine belts, has won all 12 of her pro contests, having been Olympic gold medallist in both London in 2012 and Rio in 2016.

However, 31-year-old Marshall from Hartlepool, the reigning WBO champion at 160lbs, is also undefeated and she remains the only fighter to have beaten Shields, after victory in the amateur ranks back in 2012 in China in the World Championships.

Promoter Shalom, who describes this as “the biggest fight in women’s boxing history”, believes that win for Marshall adds a little extra spice for what promises to be a special occasion.

“These two are ying and yang, and that is an absolute match made in heaven,” he said.

“The brash, overconfident American who is super, super talented in Claressa Shields, almost a money (Floyd) Mayweather sort of character that we never really see in women’s boxing.

“Contrast that to Savannah, who’s from Hartlepool, a local girl that has always struggled with confidence.

“They are very, very different personalities and they stand for very different things but I’m sure there must be some respect underneath it all.

“Claressa is very irritated by the fact that Savannah is constantly compared to her and has that win over her in the amateurs. And Savannah has always gone about her business quietly.

“Claressa was born to be a superstar. Savannah, through humility, maybe a lack of confidence and wanting to remain authentic, has taken a while to reach that level.”

‘A rare occasion’

Shalom credits fighters like Ireland’s Katie Taylor and English pair Nicola Adams and Natasha Jonas for their success in becoming household names and providing women’s boxing with a real platform to grow.

But with Marshall and Shields competing in the same weight category, their match-up is perfect for the start of a rivalry.

And like many of the great rivalries in men’s boxing such as heavyweight clashes between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali or Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn at super-middleweight, there is scope for there to be more than one fight between the pair.

“This is a rare occasion to find an event and rivalry like this,” said Shalom.

“Both fighters know this. So I’m sure if it’s a close fight, there will be a rematch.

“But both of these women are so competitive and they want to be remembered so much, they believe it will be settled on 10 September and that will be the end of it.”