Savannah Marshall blasts out Maria Lindberg in third round

Savannah Marshall made the first defence of the WBO World Female Middleweight Title she won in a vacant title match against Hannah Rankin last time out when she dismantled Sweden's Maria Lindberg at the Copper Box Arena on the undercard of Conor Benn vs Samuel Vargas.

The 44-year-old Lindberg came in at short notice as a replacement for European champion Femke Hermans who withdrew after one of her team tested positive for Covid-19.

The 29-year-old Marshall from Hartlepool looked levels above her challenger and so it proved as she knocked Lindberg down twice and dominated, ending matters at 1:11 of the 3rd round.

Claressa Shields might do well to avoid marshall who remains the only fighter to have beaten the multi-weight world champion from Flint, Michigan, amateur or pro.