WBC makes Savannah Marshall ‘champion in recess,’ Shadasia Green to fight for vacant belt

Savannah Marshall’s undisputed super middleweight championship reign is over before it really got going, as the WBC have named her “champion in recess” and ruled that Shadasia Green will get her mandatory fight for a now-vacated title.

No opponent has been named.

Marshall still holds, for now, the WBA, IBF, and WBO titles at 168 lbs.

The WBC’s decision is based on a couple of things:

1. Marshall is injured and expected to be out until April 2024.
2. When Marshall fought Franchon Crews-Dezurn, it was agreed by those fighters that the winner would have to face Green next, period. The sanctioning body have decided that won’t happen in a timely enough fashion, and Green’s team could well have reasonably pushed for this, too. They don’t owe it to Marshall to wait for something they’ve earned.

Now you may be thinking, “Hey, Jermall Charlo hasn’t fought for two years and the WBC haven’t made him ‘champion in recess’ or anything, all while Carlos Adames is the interim WBC middleweight champ.” And that’s where the loophole comes in! Adames has the interim title. By the way it’s laid out, that satisfies any mandatory claim he ever had. Technically speaking, Adames is considered — by the WBC, at least — a “world champion” already.

Marshall (13-1, 10 KO) also recently signed a deal to compete in MMA for PFL.

Green (13-0, 11 KO) signed with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions and has fought twice this year, stopping former titleholder Elin Cederroos in the sixth round back in February, then winning clearly over an extremely tough Olivia Curry on Aug. 5.

Truth be told, there isn’t a ton out there for a credible opponent at 168. She’s beaten two of the better names available already. The WBC have a grand total of eight contenders listed other than Green herself, and Crews-Dezurn seems the most likely name to get pulled. Green is No. 1, Crews-Dezurn is No. 2.

Past them, you have Cederroos, Christina Hammer, Alicia Napoleon-Espinoza (who hasn’t fought in nearly four years, but who’s counting?), Citlalli Ortiz, Angelica Lopez Flores, Raquel Miller, and Karina Avila.