Shields vs Franchon Crews-Dezurn rematch is this weekend.
Claressa Shields remains the greatest women’s boxer of all time by some distance and this weekend looks to get more legacy stamps on her legacy.
It is a rematch that she cannot overlook due to it being at heavyweight and now all female boxers are looking to get a shot at her due to her increased fame recently.
Speaking at the final presser Shields said she is well aware of her opponent this weekend — going way back:
“She was my motivation back then. I knew from back then that she hit hard. That’s what I noticed when I was 13. I said, that lady hits hard, OK.”
They have fought in professional and amateurs going way back.
Some facts on that for those unaware — the background on that:
- Shields discovered Crews-Dezurn online around age 13 (circa 2008-2009) via YouTube film, noting her hard-hitting style and using her as training motivation/inspiration.
- As a teen, Shields obsessively studied Crews-Dezurn’s footage while preparing for her amateur career and Junior Olympics path.
- Shields first met Crews-Dezurn in person at the Junior Olympics (Shields was ~15), feeling more excited than Crews-Dezurn due to her prior admiration/research.
- At age 16 (Crews-Dezurn was 24, eight years older), Shields upset then-national champion Crews-Dezurn at the U.S. Olympic trials.
- Shields won three additional amateur victories over Crews-Dezurn before turning pro, establishing early dominance in their rivalry.
- On November 19, 2016, both made their professional debuts against each other on the undercard of Andre Ward vs. Sergey Kovalev in Las Vegas.
- Shields won their pro debut by unanimous decision (40-36 on all cards) in a competitive four-round fight.
- After the 2016 loss, Crews-Dezurn won her next nine fights and became undisputed super middleweight champion (WBA/WBC titles).
- Shields went on to become a three-division undisputed champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist (2012, 2016), and later undisputed heavyweight champ.
- Crews-Dezurn dropped her super middleweight titles in 2023 but regained some (WBA interim/WBC) via wins over Shadasia Green (2023) and Citlalli Ortiz (2025).The February 22, 2026, rematch in Detroit marks a full-circle moment nearly 10 years after their pro debut, with Shields defending her undisputed heavyweight titles.
- Shields has called their careers “intertwined” and “etched in history together” from amateurs through pros to this heavyweight clash.
- This fight is Shields’ first under her historic $8 million multi-fight deal (largest in women’s boxing history) with Salita Promotions and Wynn Records.
Shields will of course have done her homework.
The jealousy from a tiny number of Americans of Shields sudden new success and increased fame levels in America and worldwide very recently is truly hilarious.
Bitter, jealous, less relevant than ever Al Haymon wasn’t smart enough to market Shields in the way she is being done now.
It eats him up inside to see her getting all the success in America with all people from all backgrounds in the US at the moment (particularly recently) and getting a standing ovation at the NBA recently.
He had nothing to do with it.
Americans love Shields and next, some people will get her standing ovations at NFL games, watch and see.
Full credit to Shields and Dmitry Salita.
