No one was surprised that Claressa Shields, the GWOAT and the undisputed heavyweight champion, stood in the center of Little Caesars Arena with her arms raised in triumph after soundly defeating her opponent Franchón Crews-Dezurn in a unanimous-decision victory. (All three judges scored the fight 100-90 for Shields.)
Shields’ performance in the ring was nothing short of dominant. From the opening bell, she controlled the tempo, using her sharp jab and punishing left hook to break Crews-Dezurn’s defense. But the challenger, true to form, refused to back down. With each round, she pressed forward, challenging Shields, forcing her to fight at a pace that could have easily overwhelmed a lesser champion. But Shields, in the full command of her abilities, simply outboxed her; calmly, methodically, and with the kind of ring IQ that few could match.
Photo by Aaron J. Thornton
But the real story about this Shields/Crews-Dezurn rivalry has been writing itself since Shields’ teenage years, and this weekend added two more chapters to that story.
See, the two shared the ring for their respective professional debuts. Their first clash, tucked beneath Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev, was a symbolic passing of the torch from one Olympian generation to the next. Shields entered that night fresh off two Olympic golds – the first American boxer ever to achieve the feat. She won that bout, launching a pro career that would redefine women’s boxing.
Crews-Dezurn, though, didn’t fade. She rebuilt, rose, and eventually became an undisputed champion at Super Middleweight. Even as their careers diverged – Shields reaching the pinnacle of success, while Crews-Dezurn faced her own battles, both inside and outside the ring – the two fighters remained in each other’s orbits.
They had shared rings, training camps, and a mutual respect that went far beyond the bravado of their rivalry. They were friends and colleagues before stepping into the ring for the second time. And they remained that way even after pre-fight tensions and exchanging headshots and body blows for 10 rounds in front of more than 17,000 screaming fans inside the arena and countless others around the world who saw the fight live on the DAZN network.
The day before the fight, during the weigh-ins, Sheilds delivered the first blow of the weekend, shoving Crews-Dezurn who was forehead-to-forehead with Sheilds as the two exchanged words during the showdown. The shove incited a melee amongst their camps, which needed police intervention before it de-escalated.
Both fighters, in their shared post-fight press conference, downplayed the event, saying that “it’s just boxing” and that, while things did get heated in the moment, it’s all part of the fanfare of the sport. Neither walked away from the incident injured or mentally thrown off their game.
Photo by Jeremy Allen
“I think that people got it all messed up about me. I think they feel like the more that they troll, the more noise that they make, that it throws me off. I ain’t gon’ ever let nothing throw me off to lose a fight,” Shields said.
“Boxing is the only thing that I’ve loved that gave me the same type of love back. Boxing is what I was chosen to do. God chose me to do this, and I’m gon’ keep representing for women’s boxing and keep representing for me. Nobody can take my confidence. Nobody can take away my grind, my hard work. As much as everybody says ‘Oh, I hope you lose. You need to be humble’; it’s just not gon’ happen. God did not bring me this far just to leave me, and I’m gon’ keep dogging every last one of them who they bring inside the ring with me. Every last one of them.”
Despite the brief confrontation at the weigh-in, which captured the attention of social media and made for compelling television drama, those who know them best understood that it was all part of the spectacle. In boxing, the intensity of competition sometimes spills over into the personal realm. It’s a momentary flash, not a reflection of the deeper reality.
“I’ve always had real love and respect for Claressa,” Crews-Dezurn said after the fight. “We’ve shared the ring more than once, and that means something. Whenever the call comes, I’m always going to step up and take the fight. I put everything on the line tonight, and I truly believe fights like this push women’s boxing forward. We’re showing the world what’s possible.”
But this fight, like so many others in Shields’ career, was never just about the punches thrown or the belts won. It was about a commitment to ensuring that women’s boxing was no longer an afterthought. Shields has always understood that her victories in the ring come with a responsibility to open doors for others, to make sure that the next generation of women fighters doesn’t have to fight for respect, doesn’t have to beg for recognition.
“I can beat these girls tremendously,” Shields said after the fight, always aiming higher, always pushing herself to do more. “I try hard to get the knockout. I love this sport and I want to see more women thrive in it.”
Photo by Jeremy Allen
Shields recalled recently that when she made her pro debut against Crews-Dezurn in November 2016, Shields was paid $50,000 – a figure far larger than the typical purses of $5,000 to $10,000 for women fighters. It was a sum that signaled a shift, an acknowledgment that women could fill arenas and generate the kind of fanfare that had long been reserved for men. Shields took that as a steppingstone and a way to show that women could make a viable living from boxing, and that this was a sport for them, too.
“It’s crazy because when we made our pro debut, (comedian) Dave Chappelle walked up to me and was like ‘Oh my God, that was one of the best fights I’ve seen.’ I have so much respect for Detroit, Flint,” Crews-Dezurn said.
“It filled my heart because I had so many people come from New York, Baltimore, DC, Virginia, Chicago, North Carolina. So for me, this fight tonight was a milestone because (Shields) has built such a platform here, but for me to know truly that I can bring something to the table – I’m not trying to be her and be the face of boxing. I want to add something, so when she’s doing her, I don’t want to be one of those girls where it’s like she carried all the weight. I want to back her up. So when I came to Detroit, I had to make sure I put on and be a good reflection of that for women’s boxing. (Shields) carried her weight and I carried mine.”
Shields understands the platform her success provides, and she uses it as a springboard to lift others. The fight in Detroit, as spectacular as it was, was simply another example of her desire to redefine what it means to be a woman in boxing.
For her, it goes beyond being the best fighter in the world. Her mission is to reshape the boxing world itself. But even in that pursuit, onlookers continue to be amazed.
As Terence “Bud” Crawford, one of the greatest fighters of his generation, reflected on Shields’ victory, his words were an acknowledgment of the legacy she’s building. “She did amazing,” Crawford said at LCA moments after the fight. “Man, what more can I say? She’s the greatest woman alive.”
Comedian Michael Blackson – along with other celebrities including Grammy-nominated singer Kelly Price and fellow comedian Mike Epps, among others – were also in attendance. Blackson told the Michigan Chronicle after the fight that this was the first women’s boxing event that he’s attended.
“This is my first women’s fight – the best fight I’ve seen in my life. I’m not gonna watch no more men’s fights. They’re boring. They run around the ring. They don’t hit each other. Women come to fight,” he exclaimed. “(Shields) is like watching Muhammed Ali all over again. I’ve never seen an arena filled to come and watch women do anything in my life. I’m so impressed. She’s got a new fan. Women’s boxing, y’all got a new fan. Claressa Shields is the greatest. The best female I’ve seen. Ever.”
The fight served two purposes for Shields: it was about proving that she could outclass anyone who stepped in front of her, and it was about respecting her opponent and the sport of women’s boxing.
“I felt like I had to take my time,” Shields said afterward, her calm demeanor a stark contrast to the ferocity of the fight. “Franchon hits hard, she’s tough, and you have to be tricky with her. She was trying to call the upset. She’s the heavy-hitting diva, and that’s one of the best fights I’ve been in. I had to watch my back every round.”
For Shields, the future is open. Whether it’s a third bout with Crews-Dezurn or a showdown with rising stars like Shadasia Green or Mikaela Mayer, one thing is certain: Shields will continue to set the pace for women’s boxing. In the ring, her dominance is unparalleled. But it’s the work she does outside the ropes, pushing the boundaries of what women in the sport can achieve, that will ultimately define her legacy.
