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Eric Woodyard
Multiple Authors
DETROIT — Undisputed heavyweight champion Claressa Shields and her longtime adversary Franchon Crews-Dezurn promised an exhilarating fight on Sunday night and certainly delivered, with Shields retaining her title via unanimous decision at Little Caesars Arena.
All three judges scored the 10-round match 100-90.
Shields, hailing from Flint, Michigan, improved her record to 18-0 (3 KOs), while Crews-Dezurn, who still holds a super middleweight title, dropped to 10-3.
“I knew I had to pace myself. Franchon hits hard and she’s tough; you have to be very strategic with her,” Shields said in her postfight remarks. “She aimed for the upset today and managed to hit me a few times, but Franchon truly lives up to her nickname — ‘The Heavy Hitting Diva’ — and this was one of the most competitive fights of my career, especially in a 10-round format. It was thrilling; I had to stay alert every round.”
After fighting for 10 rounds in front of over 17,000 fans, Shields and Crews-Dezurn shared a heartfelt embrace in the center of the ring.
This match marked a rematch of their 2016 pro debuts, where Shields won via a four-round decision in Las Vegas on the undercard of Andre Ward’s light heavyweight championship fight against Sergey Kovalev.
Both Shields and Crews-Dezurn have climbed the ranks as longstanding amateur competitors but set aside their friendship to deliver a great performance in front of a star-studded crowd, which included boxing champion Terence Crawford, rapper Tee Grizzley, and comedians Mike Epps and Michael Blackson, among others.
Rapper Lil Boosie also joined Shields during her ring walk, performing his popular song “Set It Off.”
“She motivates me. She stepped in when I was at my peak and really shook things up,” Crews-Dezurn commented. “Whenever I see her, I think, ‘That’s a milestone I aspire to reach or someone who can push me forward,’ and it’s never out of jealousy. I’m genuinely proud of her.”
Both athletes pursued the action right from the opening round, but Shields, ESPN’s top-ranked pound-for-pound female boxer, started to gain momentum by the fifth round.
Crews-Dezurn opened with a strong series of punches in the first two rounds, but Shields adapted by fine-tuning her jab timing and executing precise jabs in the later rounds to create a clear lead on the scorecards.
Shields felt she could have thrown more body punches and plans to learn from this experience, but praised Crews-Dezurn for bringing her top performance, which left her with a mark on her face.
“I haven’t seen a fight that exciting in women’s boxing in a very long time, and I haven’t been in one where a girl could rumble like that,” Shields said. “even if the scorecards read 90 to 100, I believe she got me two rounds; I’m just not sure which ones.”
This win marked Shields’ second defense of her undisputed heavyweight title, which she clinched in February 2025 with a unanimous decision over Danielle Perkins.
Looking ahead, Shields mentioned wanting to fight Shadasia Green followed by a catchweight match against Mikaela Mayer at 162 or 163 pounds.
“And after that — considering we’re in 2026 right now? In 2027, like I mentioned, this is my niece; it’s not my child,” Shields said while embracing her niece in the postfight press conference. “But I want to have my own kids. So, in 2027, I think it’s time for me to take some time off to start a family.”
