Claressa Shields Wins in Detroit Title Defense
Detroit’s biggest fight of the year belonged to Claressa Shields — again.
The undisputed women’s heavyweight champion improved her record to 18-0 (3 KOs) after defeating Franchon Crews-Dezurn (10-3, 2 KOs) in a unanimous 10-round decision on Sunday, Feb. 22, at Little Caesars Arena. All three judges scored the bout in Shields’ favor, further solidifying her dominance in women’s boxing.
Crews-Dezurn came out aggressive in the early rounds, attempting to pressure Shields and land power shots. But Shields remained composed, calculated, and in control — appearing to take over the fight by the sixth or seventh round.
The matchup marked a rematch of their 2016 professional debut, which Shields also won. Since then, she has gone undefeated and become the only woman in boxing history to hold championship belts in five weight classes.
There were brief concerns the fight might not happen after a tense weigh-in scuffle Saturday, during which Crews-Dezurn fell into a table. However, both fighters made it to the ring Sunday night without further issue.
Detroit came out strong in support. Salita Promotions announced a crowd of 17,000 at Little Caesars Arena — another major hometown showing for Shields.
Rapper Boosie brought the energy all the way up at Little Caesars Arena, serving as Claressa Shields’ hype man — walking her into the ring and celebrating ringside as she secured another dominant victory in Detroit. 🥊🔥
During her post-fight press conference, Shields revealed future plans that extend beyond boxing. While holding her niece, she shared that she hopes to fight Shadasia Green later in 2026 before taking a break in 2027 to start a family.
For now, Claressa Shields remains on top — champion, undefeated, and still raising the bar for women’s boxing.
