Claressa Shields will defend her undisputed heavyweight crown in front of her home fans on February 22, when she meets longtime rival Franchon Crews-Dezurn at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena streaming live on DAZN. The bout marks nearly a decade since Shields outpointed Crews-Dezurn in both fighters’ professional debuts.
Shields is a widely regarded as the No. 1 pound-for-pound female boxer and enters her second defense of the undisputed heavyweight title with confidence and purpose. “I’ve grown a lot since that first victory,” she said, referencing her Olympic triumphs, multiple world titles, and accolades earned since 2016. Yet her motivation is rooted in unfinished business. “She’s been poppin’ it like she can whoop me in a world championship fight… this fight will pick up from round five.”
Crews-Dezurn has carved out an impressive legacy of her own since that debut loss. She rose to become the undisputed super middleweight champion and has rebuilt momentum after dropping her crown to Savannah Marshall in 2023. The 38-year-old rebounded with wins over Shadasia Green and Citlalli Ortiz, securing interim WBA and WBC titles and reaffirming her status as one of the sport’s toughest competitors.
Now moving up to heavyweight, Crews-Dezurn embraces the magnitude of the challenge ahead. “This time as established champions with great legacies,” she said. “I’m daring to be even greater by going up in weight, strutting into hell so I can create my heaven.”
Fight card:
▪️Claressa Shields vs. Franchon Crews-Dezurn, 10 rounds, for Shields’ undisputed heavyweight title
