Claressa Shields Fight set to headline packed Little Caesars Arena as rematch with Franchon Crews-Dezurn nears
claressa shields fight will be the main event at Little Caesars Arena on Feb. 22, when Shields rematches Franchón Crews-Dezurn in a billed championship night expected to draw roughly 18, 000 fans and cap a card heavy with women's title fights.
Claressa Shields Fight headlines what some call 'greatest night' in women's boxing
The card features 11 fights, six involving women, and more than 15, 000 tickets already sold for the event that begins with doors opening at 4 p. m. and the undercard scheduled to start at 4: 30 p. m. The live stream window opens at 8 p. m., with Shields and Crews-Dezurn set to meet after 10 p. m.
Shields enters the bout at 17-0 while Crews-Dezurn's record stands at 10-2; the pair first met in 2016 in their professional debuts, a fight Shields won by unanimous decision. The night will also include multiple championship fights, including a WBA light heavyweight defense and a WBA interim super lightweight defense on the same card.
From Olympic gold to megastardom and a landmark contract
Shields' rise is tied to two Olympic gold medals in 2012 and 2016 and a growing public profile in recent years. She signed a minimum-guaranteed $8 million multi-fight deal late in 2025, and her presence has helped place women’s bouts prominently on the bill. In the days before the fight, Shields made a ringside appearance at another high-profile match and prepared for the night while at her boyfriend Papoose's New Jersey apartment, where she styled her look and planned a red dress for the evening.
Those moments feed a public interest that promoters say has made this card larger than typical undercards: a hometown star, rematch narrative and multiple title fights all on one night at Little Caesars Arena.
Franchon Crews-Dezurn says she's 'disappointed' and seeks respect
Crews-Dezurn, 38, traveled an eight-hour trip from Baltimore to Detroit and has framed the rematch as more than a single fight. She is the current unified WBA and WBC super middleweight champion and a former undisputed super middleweight champion, and she has publicly criticized how the fight has been promoted, saying she feels kept at arm's length from some promotional material.
Crews-Dezurn pushed back on being labeled a stepping stone and noted her own contributions to Shields' early career, saying she designed several of Shields' outfits and that she once bought a sewing machine for $25 to jump-start a passion for fashion. She also described the trip to Detroit as a chance to focus with her team ahead of the rematch.
What to watch and what's next
Fans can expect Shields and Crews-Dezurn in the main event after 10 p. m., following an afternoon and evening of title fights and undercard bouts that begin when doors open at 4 p. m. The event’s streaming window begins at 8 p. m., and the card is scheduled to conclude with the Shields–Crews-Dezurn rematch in Detroit on Feb. 22.
