WBO middleweight titleholder Savannah Marshall is putting her belt on the line March 12 against Femke Hermans in Newcastle, England.
It will be the third defense of the title for Marshall, 30, who last fought Oct. 16, 2021, against Lolita Muzeya, knocking her out in the second round.
The fight between Marshall (11-0, 9 KO) and Hermans was supposed to take place last year, but the fight needed to be rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We know each other quite well; she’s studied me, I’ve studied her,” Marshall said in a release announcing the fight Wednesday. “She’s only ever lost to the best in the world, and she’s a former world champion herself.”
Hermans, 31, from Belgium, will enter the ring for the first time since July 17, when she knocked out Lili Jumali in the third round. Hermans (12-3, 5 KO) has won three straight fights since losing to Elin Cederroos in 2019 by majority decision, a fight which was for the vacant IBF super middleweight title.
Hermans also lost to Claressa Shields in 2018 by unanimous decision.
Should Marshall win in March and Shields — who holds the WBC, WBA and IBF titles — win this weekend against Ema Kozin, it would potentially set up a fight for the undisputed title in the division. That would mean Shields would face Marshall, the last person to have beaten her in boxing in her professional or amateur career.