Boxing world champion announces MMA debut and eyes rematch with bitter rival in whole new sport

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SAVANNAH MARSHALL will become the latest boxing star to make the switch to MMA when she makes her debut on June 8.

The undisputed super-middleweight world champion has signed with the Professional Fighters League.

GettySavannah Marshall will make her MMA debut on June 8[/caption]

And she will make her MMA debut in the summer on a PFL Europe card in Newcastle having penned a deal last year.

Marshall will even headline the event at the Utilita Arena with her opponent yet to be confirmed.

She told Sky Sports: “It’s exciting, it’s new, it’s something that I’m really interested in.

“Sometimes in training, I feel good and I think yeah I’m getting it now and other times I’m getting tapped like that and I think: ‘I am terrible at this.’ It’s exciting for me because it’s new.

“It’s BJJ, you’ve got kickboxing, you’ve got judo, wrestling so it’s a mix of all these different sports that I’ve never ever tried.”

Marshall, 32, last won in July beating Franchon Crews-Dezurn, 36, to win all four 168lb titles.

But she will now turn her attention to MMA, where arch rival Claressa Shields, 29, is currently 2-1 and also signed to the PFL.

Seven-division women’s champ Amanda Serrano, 35, is another boxer-turned MMA fighter signed with the PFL.

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But Marshall – who was beaten by Shields in their bitter grudge bout in 2022 – is eyeing revenge in the cage.

PFL CEO Peter Murray said: “Savannah and Claressa Shields competed in one of the most-watched women’s boxing matchups in history when they first fought.

“And now with Savannah’s MMA debut, the two are on a collision course for a rematch wearing four ounce gloves and settling the score in the PFL SmartCage.”

Claressa Shields could rematch Marshall in the MMA cageRichard Pelham / The Sun

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