It was a tense affair at today’s official weigh-in for tomorrow’s all-female card in London. We know how much bad blood there is between Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall, yet it’s very possible the level of dislike, the level of very real dislike, shared by Mikaela Mayer and Alycia Baumgardner has taken their grudge fight a notch or three higher on the grudge scale.
Again, as they have been pulled apart by security two previous times, Mayer and Baumgardner had to be separated today. The two weighed-in, before the hostilities were resumed. Defending lineal/IBF/WBO junior-lightweight champion Mayer tipped-in at 129.3 pounds, while challenger Baumgardner came in at the exact same weight.
Then the two went at it.
“She started to push me back,” Mayer said after the fracas. “I didn’t have any arms because I [am holding my] three title belts. So I had to use my legs. I feel great. All this talk of me struggling to make the weight is a reflection of this girl. She’s struggling. She’s spending too much time in the weight room.”
Maybe Baumgardner has struggled to make the weight, but both fighters looked in great shape as they stood on the scale. Baumgardner is adamant she will score a stoppage victory tomorrow night.
“I’m here to be unified champion of the world,” Baumgardner said firmly. “There’s no other option in my head – to get her out of there, to have the ref stop it, throw in the towel. But this girl gotta go.”
Tomorrow’s chief support could well prove to be the fight of the night. As for the main event, Shields and Marshall exchanged yet more words at today’s weigh-in, yet they never got physical. As with Mayer and Baumgardner, Shields and Marshall both tipped-in at the exact same weight, with defending WBA/WBC/IBF/Ring Magazine middleweight champ Shields coming in at 159.3 pounds, and with defending WBO 160 pound champ Marshall coming in at the same weight. These two must have said all they can possibly say to one another by now, and it is now time to fight.
Like Mayer and Baumgardner, Shields and Marshall are literally chomping at the bit, aching to fight. We could get two special and memorable women’s title fights tomorrow evening.
