Claressa Shields Fight brings heavyweight showdown to Little Caesars Arena
The claressa shields fight slated for Sunday at Little Caesars Arena is now framed as a rematch with history and heavyweight stakes: undefeated Shields (17-0, 3 KOs) will make the second defense of her undisputed heavyweight crown against longtime rival Franchon Crews-Dezurn (10-2, 2 KOs), and both women promised an action-packed bout after a Thursday news conference in Detroit.
Claressa Shields Fight spotlights heavyweight rematch
Shields will enter Sunday’s bout as the reigning undisputed heavyweight champion she won in February 2025 by unanimous decision over Danielle Perkins; the upcoming match is her second defense. At the news conference, Shields, who is 's No. 1-ranked pound-for-pound women's boxer, praised Crews-Dezurn and emphasized that the heavyweight meeting increases notoriety for both fighters and the event.
Rematch roots and records
Shields and Crews-Dezurn climbed the ranks together as longtime amateur rivals and faced off in their pro debuts in 2016, when Shields earned a four-round decision. Shields is 17-0 with three knockouts; Crews-Dezurn is 10-2 with two knockouts. Both fighters have said the rematch has been years in the making.
Crews-Dezurn’s comeback and titles
After her 2016 loss to Shields, Crews-Dezurn won nine straight fights and became the undisputed super middleweight champion. The Virginia native dropped that crown in 2023, then won her next two fights: she beat Shadasia Green in 2023 for the WBA interim and WBC super middleweight titles and made a successful title defense against Citlalli Ortiz in 2025.
News conference details and local ties
The Thursday gathering at Little Caesars Arena featured clear visuals and a close, civil tone: Shields stood behind a clear podium wearing a stylish pink fur coat while Crews-Dezurn sat at a nearby table to Shields’ left. Shields, a native of Flint, Michigan, recalled researching Crews-Dezurn as a teenager while preparing for the 2012 Olympics; at age 17 she became the first American woman to earn a gold medal for women's boxing, and she captured a second Olympic gold in 2016 at age 21. Shields said she watched Crews-Dezurn’s film on YouTube and first noticed that Crews-Dezurn hit hard when Shields was 13.
Promises of a memorable fight and promotion details
Both fighters pledged an action-packed match. Crews-Dezurn said the fight is the culmination of intertwined careers and declared, as she looked ahead to February 22nd, that she expects victory. The bout will also mark the first fight of Shields' multifight partnership with Salita Promotions and Wynn Records, a deal Shields signed in November after toying with the idea of free agency; the agreement is worth $8 million and is the largest for a female boxer.
Technical notices seen on other sites
Two separate web pages that appeared with the coverage displayed technical messages: detroitnews. com warned that "your browser is not supported" and asked readers to download one of its recommended browsers to ensure the best experience, noting the site was built to take advantage of the latest technology. A similar message appeared on usatoday. com, which also recommended downloading a supported browser for the best experience.
The next confirmed milestone is the fight itself: Shields will put her undisputed heavyweight title on the line Sunday at Little Caesars Arena, the second defense of the belt she won in February 2025 against Danielle Perkins, with Crews-Dezurn aiming to claim victory on February 22nd.
