The continued incompetency by British promotion Boxxer is finally coming to light.
In an Instagram post released earlier today, former undisputed super middleweight (168 lbs) British star Savannah Marshall (13-1, 10 KO’s) revealed she would not be participating on March 7th as planned.
“I was told I was fighting on the March 7th on the all female card for Boxxer,” Marshall wrote on Instagram.
“[With my] opponent agreed, I have been in camp since December 14th. I was also asked to travel to London for the press conference where I was told my fight would be announced.
“Instead I was sidelined and left feeling humiliated and confused. I honestly thought I would have been treated with abit more respect. Due to disputes with [Boxxer] I WILL NOT be fighting on March 7th. I want to apologise to everyone who has booked travel, accommodation and tickets.“
Marshall’s decision is based on a January 21st press conference held by Boxxer which announced an all-female British card for March 7th which will tie in with International Women’s Day―set to be held the day after. The show will be headlined by British WBC & IBF welterweight (147 lbs) champion Natasha Jonas (16-2-1, 9 KO’s) and Welsh WBA champion Lauren Price (8-0, 2 KO’s).
Despite personally attending the presser, Marshall was neither announced or included amongst other female athletes that will be participating on the card, with stablemate Francesca Hennesy (5-0, 1 KO’s) suffering from the same experience. As Hennessy would express during an interview held after the presser, she had attended with the expectation of being included in the press conference given she was planned to fight on the same March 7th. However, for reasons still unknown, neither of the two fighters were revealed to be participating on the card―despite Boxxer inviting them to the press conference.
“I got told weeks ago that I was on the [March 7th] card,” Hennessy told IFL TV.
“[I was] told a couple days ago to come down to the presser today [January 21st] because I’m on the card, and then I showed up today and I’ve not been announced on the card, so I’m not sure what is going on.
“I just think it’s a bit poor, to be honest, bringing me down here. I got up really early to train and then you’ve got to miss things, you know. I just don’t really understand what it is. I feel like I’ve done all I can, all that’s been asked of me―every test that’s been put in my way I’ve come through and performed. So yeah, I just feel a little bit disrespected to be honest.“
As has become constant with Boxxer, question marks now surrounds their handling of their own fighters, with the latest incident concerning their inability to inform two valuable fighters on their roster that they wouldn’t compete on March 7th. Even more egregiously, both fighters took time out their schedule to attend the January 21st press conference with the expectations of being announced alongside their opponents, only to discover they were not included in Boxxer’s plans.
Considering Savannah Marshall is arguably the female face of the promotion while Fran Hennessy is a budding super bantamweight (122 lbs) star in the United Kingdom, with her being tipped to be ready for her first world title challenge either later this year, or the following year, Boxxer’s actions would be extremely surprising if it wasn’t for their incompetence having become a pattern.
As has been covered on this platform numerous times, Boxxer has a track record of questionable decisions―mostly related to the promotion allegedly coercing fighters out of purse bid deadlines on numerous occasions. Last year, former Boxxer fighter Liam Smith would go on to expose the promotion’s chairman, Ben Shalom, for ego-centric behavior which ended with him departing from the promotion on bad terms.
Now, it appears Boxxer’s consistent waywardness has spilled over to one of their best fighters in Savannah Marshall, with the former undisputed champion’s statements of feeling “humiliated and confused” hinting at a potential upcoming split between her and the promotion.
The situation further confirms Boxxer is now steadfast becoming a problem to its own fighters, with both Marshall and Hennessy having to remain on the sidelines rather than continue to remain active. Natasha Jonas herself had been facing a similar issue of alleged mistreatment prior to her recent December unification bout against former WBC 147-pound champion Ivana Habazin (23-6, 7 KO’s).
Notably, Boxxer’s transgressions have been widely ignored and unpunished, resulting in the promotion regularly being in the news for controversies that have yet to be addressed by any relevant institution in the sport.
