Claressa Shields Urged to Follow Muhammad Ali’s Footsteps but It’s Thousands of Miles Away
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The iconic ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ unfolded on October 30, 1974, in Kinshasa, Zaire, marking a historic moment in boxing history. Muhammad Ali, hailing from Louisville, Kentucky, clinched victory against defending champion George Foreman from Houston, Texas, thus reclaiming the world heavyweight title. The ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ garnered global attention. Now promoter Dmitry Salita wants a similar thing to happen for the 2x undisputed champion Claressa Shields.
The mastermind behind making this spectacle a reality was Cleveland-born promoter Don King. King’s persuasive efforts convinced Zaire’s dictator, Mobutu Sese Seko, to sponsor the fight, bringing international focus to Zaire. The success of the Rumble in the Jungle solidified Ali’s legacy as ‘The Greatest’. In an exclusive conversation with Sky Sports, Shields’ promoter Dmitry Salita talked about how he wants the same thing to happen to Shields, as it did with Muhammad Ali.
Dmitry Salita talks about Claressa Shields’ 2024 plans
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In the interview, Salita said, “To go to Africa, like Muhammad Ali did, to have a significant fight there would be worldwide news, another step in her career that would transcend the sport of boxing and be great for its growth.” Salita believes it would be an important statement made around the world regarding the sport of boxing. Moreover, Salita believes that such events transcend the sport to another level, and he’d love to see Shields having a fight either in the Middle East or in Africa. He stated, “We’d love for that to happen at some point down the line. Not too far down the line, hopefully.”
Not only this, the promoter also hinted towards the most-anticipated rematch between Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall. He firmly believes that this would be a perfect fight for such an occasion, with both boxers running it back again for their fans.
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Salita teases the Shields vs. Marshall rematch
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In a historic moment for women’s sports, the all-women boxing card achieved a groundbreaking milestone with over two million viewers. This was one of the largest audiences for a live women’s sports event. The highlight of this monumental occasion was the clash between Shields and Marshall, a bout that captured the essence of top-tier boxing. Shields secured her place in history by defeating Marshall through a unanimous decision.
Shields also earned the title of the undisputed middleweight world champion. So, Salita wants to do the fight again, as he said, “Their rivalry’s so great whatever they do, if they play chess, people are going to want to see it. I believe 10 out of 10 times Claressa wins the fight but Savannah is a very good fighter. I believe that fight is always going to be entertaining and exciting.” So, Shields’ promoter very well understands what the public needs.
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It does make sense that Salita would want to do the fight between Shields and Marshall again since they garnered so much of an audience with their last showdown. Would you want to see their rematch? Tell us in the comments section.
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Edited by:
Gokul Pillai