Claressa Shields says a fight against Savannah Marshall could be as big as Katie Taylor’s historic showdown against Amanda Serrano last month. 

Ireland’s Taylor beat Serrano via split decision in front of a near sold out Madison Square Garden.

The fight was dubbed the biggest in women’s boxing history, but Shields, whose rivalry with Marshall dates back years, thinks a contest between the pair has just as good a “storyline.” 

Shields wants the same opportunity as Taylor and Serrano 

Speaking about her much-anticipated clash with Marshall this September, Shields told the BBC: "With how great I am, and how she's built up to be this knockout artist - that's why this fight should be happening in London.

"I think people are overlooking the fact that Taylor and Serrano were the first women given that opportunity to actually perform on those platforms and be the main event," she said.

"If that opportunity would have been given to myself in the US, we would have done great numbers but we also need a good opponent.

"People always talk about equal pay in women's boxing but they don't talk about equal opportunity and that's what women's boxing needs - equal pay, equal opportunity, equal TV time."

Shields is a two-time Olympic gold medallist and is so far undefeated in her professional career. The American has compared herself to Canelo Alvarez and wants the opportunity to prove herself on the big stage. 

"To be two-time Olympic champion, three-time undisputed world champion - Canelo [Alvarez] is doing things that I've already done but he's getting 90 million for it,” she stressed. 

Shields has no respect for Marshall 

The rivalry between Marshall and Shields has been brewing for a long time. 

Marshall remains the only fighter to have ever defeated Shields, but the US star thinks the Brit has built her entire career off that win. 

"I don't have respect for anybody who didn't earn it and for anybody who didn't work hard," Shields said.

"I give credit to someone who actually has the accolades and has the belts. I'm not a three-time world champion, I'm a 12-time world champion who's fought in three different divisions since I've turned professional.

"I haven't beaten these girls because they were easy, I've beaten them because I was great. Savannah Marshall's claim to fame is 'oh she wouldn't have won any of that if I fought her'.

"The UK is building her up to be this knockout artist and they're gonna be disappointed."

Where will the fight take place?

The official location of the fight is still unconfirmed, however, BOXXER promotor Ben Shalom says it’s likely to be in either London or Newcastle.

"Claressa has finally got her match,” he said. “It's the first time we're seeing a genuine rivalry in women's boxing, and that's a sign of the times."