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

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