Making her UK debut as a pro, Claressa Shields retained her collection of world titles - and her claims to ‘GWOAT’ status - when she outclassed challenger Ema Kozin over ten rounds, coming close to stopping the fight at times.

Machine-gunning flurries of straights and then hitting the body with hooks, Shields was punishing Kozin through the fight. Kozin was hurt several times but hung in there, despite Shields increasingly going for broke in search of the stoppage.

"I thought there were plenty of moments where the referee should have stopped it," Shields said. "I give myself an A-. The only thing I didn't do was get the damn knockout!

"She took six, seven, eight shots without responding. I thought her corner might have stopped it." 

All three judges saw a one-sided fight in favor of Shields, with scores of 100-90 across the board.

After the bout concluded, Shields’ arch-rival Savannah Marshall was on hand to offer her some robust criticism. "If you perform like that against me, I'll absolutely wipe the floor with you," she told her American antagonist.

Shields responded with vitriol, resulting in an exchange of words between the pair ringside, live on Sky Sports. 

"The girl I want is Marshall. That's why I'm here. She knows that," Shields said.

If Marshall successfully defends her WBO title later this year, the stage will be set for the two to face off at last. 

Marshall is the only fighter in the world to hold a win over Shields, from their amateur days, and a rematch in the professional ranks would be one of the biggest fights in the history of women’s boxing.