Claressa Shields isn’t leaning on trash talk ahead of her next title defense. Instead, she’s giving credit where she believes it’s due.
Speaking to ESPN before the fight, Shields acknowledged the role Franchon Crews-Dezurn has played in her journey.
“With this fight being at heavyweight, it brings more notoriety to her name, to my name, to the event,” Shields said. “We will be etched in history together throughout our entire careers from the amateurs to our pro debuts to our heavyweight fight coming up.”
That connection dates back years. Shields didn’t shy away from explaining how far it goes. “She was my motivation back then,” she said. “I found film on her on YouTube. I watched her. And I knew from back then she hit hard… I said, ‘That lady hits hard.’”
The respect is mutual in terms of significance, if not outcome. Crews-Dezurn has made her intentions clear heading into the bout. “This is a long time in the making,” she said. “I’ve always told Claressa our journeys was going to be intertwined.”
She added, “I am a future Hall-of-Famer. I am going to show the world.”
Fight night is set for Sunday, February 22, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, where more than 15,000 fans are expected. Both fighters officially weighed in ahead of the bout, with Shields at 174 pounds and Crews-Dezurn at 174.2.
The matchup headlines an 11-fight card that includes multiple title bouts and a strong presence of women’s fights.
The rematch carries history. Shields defeated Crews-Dezurn by unanimous decision in their 2016 pro debuts and has remained undefeated since, entering the fight at 17-0. Crews-Dezurn, now 10-2, went on to become an undisputed champion at super middleweight and rebuilt momentum with recent wins, setting up this return clash.
Shields emphasized how much bigger the moment is this time around. “We know what happened in that first matchup,” she said. “We are etched in history and will forever be. The stage is much bigger this time around.”
The fight also marks Shields’ second defense of her undisputed heavyweight title, which she won in 2025. It’s her first bout under a reported $8 million deal with Salita Promotions and Wynn Records, the largest contract in women’s boxing.
Veteran voices are also taking notice. Sugar Ray Leonard recently weighed in on Shields’ rise, saying, “I haven’t seen her live yet, but I certainly will now… I really like what I see.”