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Rematch Fans Are Obsessing Over: Claressa Shields vs. Franchon Crews-Dezurn

Claressa Shields vs. Franchon Crews-Dezurn It is a rematch almost ten years in the making. A 2016 fight that saw the two-time Olympic champion Claressa Shields make her professional debut over four rounds against former foe Franchon Crews-Dezurn at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Both were making their maiden ring walks in the paid ranks. Old amateur rivals, Shields had won every time they had fought. The former dual Olympic champion emerged victorious once again. Shields won 40-36 on the cards. Normal service resumed. Shields earned a reported $50,000, Crews-Dezurn an apparent $10,000. On February 22nd in Detroit, they will do it one more time. They will earn significantly more this time. A rematch with a lot on the line. Undisputed status and the battle for personal supremacy.

The undisputed world heavyweight titles will be on the line when Shields fights Crews-Dezurn for the second time as a professional. Shields is now unbeaten in seventeen fights and has gone undisputed in three different weight divisions. More than arguably, Shields is the best female fighter on the planet. The odds indicate she will once again turn back the challenge of her old amateur rival. At 1/25, Shields is odds-on to beat Crews-Dezurn again. If you fancy the upset, you can get around 10-1 on a Crews-Dezurn victory.

READ MORE : Enough With the Hype: Gervonta’s Fall Accelerates While Garcia’s

But do those overwhelming odds in favour of Claressa Shields really reflect reality? Crews-Dezurn has only lost twice as a professional. The debut loss to Shields, and she gave Savannah Marshall an uncomfortable night before losing on points over ten hard rounds in Manchester in a big world super-middleweight unification showdown in 2023. Marshall was expected to win, but in a much easier fashion than how it turned out. Even in defeat, she doesn’t do so quietly. Or easily.

Gervonta Davis

Crews-Dezurn has rebounded from that defeat to Marshall with two good victories. A victory over Shadasia Green in the fight after Marshall beat her looks even more impressive now than it did at the time. Green has since beaten Marshall. The form line carries plenty of credence. Shields deserves to be the betting favourite, but those wide odds might be a little off.

Both fighters are true pioneers of the modern era of female fighters. Shields has grabbed much of the limelight. Or more accurately, earned it. Crews-Dezurn has suffered somewhat in comparison. But you underestimate her at your peril.

Both are much better fighters than they were in 2016. Shields, especially, as grown in so many ways. Many lingering doubters would have been extinguished on that famous night in London in 2022. Shields got her revenge on Savannah Marshall for her one and only defeat inside a boxing ring.

RELATED NEWS : Claressa Shields has slammed the door on a possible rematch

Inside and outside of the ring, Shields acted and fought like a superstar. She took it to the supposed big puncher and beat her British rival in comprehensive style over ten incredibly fast-paced rounds. Shields was crowned the undisputed middleweight champion that night at a sold-out O2 Arena in London on an iconic all-female card.

Shields has won four fights since and has now landed and settled in the heavyweight division. But weight is unlikely to be the deciding factor. Crews-Dezurn weighed 166½ lb last time out in a world super-middleweight fight; Shields was only eight pounds heavier in a heavyweight title fight against Lani Daniels last July. The weight differential is likely to be minimal in Detroit. Skill will decide the winner, not weight.

Claressa Shields

Crews-Dezurn knows the odds are firmly stacked against her, but revenge and belief can sometimes be the difference. Shields, who will probably start to drop back down to the lighter weights and look for big fights against the likes of Mikaela Mayer and Lauren Price, wants to end the rivalry in definitive fashion. “I plan on putting Franchon Crews on her back and leaving with the KO,” Shields says. “Franchon is elite, but I am super elite.”

Claressa Shields won on points in 2016. This time, she wants something more. Franchon Crews-Dezurn has never beaten Shields. She desperately wants to stop the rot in Detroit. Those in attendance at the Little Caesars Arena are unlikely to be disappointed with what they see. Another fight and another night that will undoubtedly showcase everything that is special about women’s boxing.

Claressa Shields has slammed the door on a possible rematch with Savannah Marshall, insisting she is “way past” that.

The American star had a fierce rivalry with Britain’s Marshall, dating from a 2011 amateur contest, which culminated in their 2022 undisputed middleweight showdown.

Claressa Shields won in style and now the two-time Olympic gold medallist has risen all the way to become the first undisputed heavyweight world champion in women’s boxing.

The unbeaten fighter from Flint dismissed Marshall as a possible challenger at heavyweight.

“The way that I beat Savannah, unanimous decision,” Shields told Sky Sports. “I’m way past a fight with Savannah.

“I think that there’s better competition out there, like a Mikaela Mayer, like a Lauren Price, who is an Olympic champion from Great Britain. I would love to fight against those girls.

“I think that Savannah has used my name for a very long time to build herself. She’s lived off the amateur win that happened when I was 16 or 17. She lived off of it and then when we fought I destroyed her.

READ MORE :The Knockdown Everyone’s Talking About: Claressa Shields Takes

“She thought she was going to come to the US and fight Shadasia [Green] and win, and lost. And now she’s lost on what to do. But she should be focused on fighting girls who she can actually beat. Because she can’t beat me.”
Shields puts her heavyweight championship on the line against Franchon Crews-Dezurn at the Little Ceasars Arena in Detroit on February 22.
Naturally she expects to be victorious but rather than stay at heavyweight she would be willing to move down to box Mayer or Price, current welterweight world champions. Price notably, like Shields before her, was an Olympic gold medallist at middleweight.
Claressa Shields
“I’m fighting Franchon in a little over two weeks. I reckon I’m going to do what I’m supposed to do and get the job done correctly, I will then fight against Shadasia Green and then after Shadasia Green it’s been talked of Mikaela Mayer fighting me at 163, 165lb. Same thing with Lauren Price. I’m willing to go down and fight those girls, if they’re really serious about it,” Shields said.

“I’m willing to go down to 163, 165lb and make some of the biggest fights. But I’m not going to 160 without no belts.”

However, she warned her prospective challengers: “I’m not ever going to slow down and if these girls can’t keep up they’re just going to keep getting smoked.

“But that’s not my problem. My job is to work my hardest, train my smartest, diet right and fight the best. And I’ve been doing that now for nine years.”

Isn’t Over,It’s Beginning. Crawford Measures Himself Against Mayweather and Roy Jones Jr.

In boxing, legacy isn’t just about belts, records, or highlight reels. It’s about where a fighter stands when the gloves are finally hung up—when the noise fades and history starts sorting out who truly mattered. Few conversations spark more passion than comparisons across eras, and now Terence “Bud” Crawford has stepped straight into the fire. By measuring his career against two of the sport’s untouchable icons—Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Roy Jones Jr.—Crawford has reignited one of boxing’s most volatile debates.

This isn’t arrogance. It’s inevitability.

Terence Crawford is not just undefeated; he’s dominant. A former undisputed champion at super lightweight and a multi-division titleholder, Crawford has done what many elite fighters chase but never catch. He didn’t just collect belts—he unified divisions, dismantled champions, and did it with a switch-hitting style that left opponents guessing until it was too late.

READ MORE : Terence Crawford Finally Addresses the Question Boxing Can’t

What separates Crawford from many modern greats is how complete he is. He can box, brawl, counter, lead, and finish. Southpaw or orthodox, patient or vicious—it rarely matters. His stoppage of Errol Spence Jr., once considered his most dangerous rival, wasn’t just a win. It was a statement. A career-defining demolition that forced the boxing world to reevaluate everything it thought it knew about pound-for-pound supremacy.

Terence Crawford

Floyd Mayweather Jr. remains boxing’s ultimate measuring stick. Undefeated. Five divisions. A master of defense so refined it felt surgical. Mayweather didn’t just beat opponents—he neutralized them, broke them down mentally, and walked out untouched.

When Crawford’s name is mentioned alongside Floyd’s, critics immediately point to longevity and commercial dominance. Mayweather ruled across generations, adapting as his body aged and his opponents evolved. He fought—and beat—hall-of-fame names under the brightest lights imaginable.

Crawford, by contrast, has often operated without the same promotional spotlight. But that’s where the debate gets uncomfortable. While Mayweather mastered avoidance late in his career, Crawford thrives in engagement. He doesn’t just outthink opponents—he stops them. And for purists, that difference matters.

The question isn’t whether Crawford eclipses Mayweather’s legacy. It’s whether dominance should be measured by perfection… or destruction.

RELATED NEWS : Claressa Shields Fires a Bold Challenge at Price, Teasing a

If Mayweather represents flawless execution, Roy Jones Jr. represents something else entirely: the highest peak boxing has ever seen.

At his best, Roy Jones Jr. didn’t seem human. Hands down. Reflexes defying physics. Power from impossible angles. He jumped divisions, embarrassed champions, and even captured a heavyweight title in an era where such moves were unthinkable.

Crawford’s comparison to Jones hits a different nerve. Like Roy, Crawford thrives on instinct. He reads fighters in real time, adjusts mid-fight, and punishes mistakes with ruthless efficiency. There’s a certain freedom in how Crawford fights—a willingness to experiment, to take risks, to impose his will.

But Jones’ decline looms large in these conversations. His brilliance burned fast and bright. Crawford, so far, has shown a more controlled evolution—less flash, more precision, but with the same killer instinct.

Three Careers, One Uncomfortable Question

Claressa Shields

He may never have Mayweather’s pay-per-view empire or Roy Jones’ jaw-dropping athletic mystique. But Crawford is building something just as dangerous: a legacy of inevitability. When he steps into the ring, opponents don’t just lose—they get figured out, broken down, and often stopped.

In an era obsessed with protecting “0s,” Crawford risks everything. He seeks challenges. He wants the best names. He wants the hardest fights. And now, by welcoming comparison to Mayweather and Jones, he’s made it clear—he’s not chasing approval. He’s chasing history.

Terence Crawford Finally Addresses the Question Boxing Can’t Stop Asking—Mayweather or Roy Jones Jr.?

Following his retirement, Terence Crawford is being placed into many fans’ list as one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters since the turn of the millennium. Now, ‘Bud’ has revealed how he believes he outperformed Floyd Mayweather and Roy Jones Jr.

Crawford defeated Canelo Alvarez back in September in a win that will be referenced for generations, becoming boxing’s second three-division undisputed world champion, 87 years after Henry Armstrong became the first.

Off the back of that career-best triumph, Crawford opted to walk away from the sport whilst he was sat atop it, hanging up the gloves with both an undefeated record after 42 fights and the status of being a five-division world champion.

Reflecting upon his time in the ring, Crawford told The Pivot Podcast of his pride in becoming the undisputed super-lightweight champion back in 2017, and why he feels he’s surpassed Mayweather and Jones Jr.

READ MORE : Enough With the Hype: Gervonta’s Fall Accelerates While Garcia’s

“I was on a mission. That mindset was, ‘I am not celebrating this fight, because I am trying to get to that fight. That is the fight that I want to get, to show y’all, these are just stepping stones’, to me, in my mind.

“I celebrated being undisputed. That was the greatest feeling ever because nobody did it in so long. I was the third person in the four-belt era to do it, nobody was thinking about or trying to become undisputed.

“I set my sights out, I said that I wanted all the belts. Once I did that, it was like ‘man, Floyd didn’t do this, Pacquiao didn’t do this, what can they say? Roy Jones Jr, my favourite fighter, didn’t do this’.

Gervonta Davis

“I got something over them, that they didn’t do in their career. I’m not saying that they couldn’t have done it, but they didn’t do it.”

The undisputed super-middleweight title has since become fragmented, with Jose Armando Resendiz picking up the WBA strap and Christian Mbilli being elevated to full WBC champion.

Meanwhile, Hamzah Sheeraz is expected to take on 38-year-old Alem Begic in a clash for the WBO super-middleweight title, whilst Osleys Iglesias is set to challenge for the vacant IBF title against an unnamed opponent.

Like Father, Like Son: Charlie Woods Explodes for 66 to Win First AJGA Title

Charlie Woods, the 16-year-old son of golfing great Tiger Woods, earned his first American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) win on Wednesday with a three-shot victory at the Team TaylorMade Invitational in Bowling Green, Florida.

Woods, playing in his fifth AJGA event, began the final round one shot behind overnight leader Luke Colton and mixed two bogeys with eight birdies for a six-under-par 66 on the Black Course at Streamsong Resort that brought him to 15 under on the week.

Willie Gordon (65), Phillip Dunham (68) and Colton (70) finished in a share of second place.

After a birdie-bogey start, Woods grabbed the solo lead late on the outward nine with four birdies over a sizzling five-hole stretch. He then built a three-shot cushion with birdies at the 11th and 12th holes, dropped a shot at the 13th but responded immediately with a birdie at the 298-yard, par-four 14th where he drove the green. He closed out his round with four consecutive pars.

Before this week, Woods’s best result on the AJGA circuit was a share of 25th place at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley in March.

Woods has competed with his father in the last five editions of the PNC Championship – a 36-hole event featuring two-player teams made up of a major champion and a family member – and last December they finished runners-up for a second time.

The elder Woods has been sidelined since undergoing surgery in March to repair a ruptured achilles tendon and is expected to miss the rest of the PGA Tour season.

“Do Not Go Near Her”: Court Slams Gervonta Davis With Explosive Stay-Away Order

Gervonta Davis appeared in bond court on Thursday … and was ordered to stay away from the alleged victim and the club … as well as to have zero contact with the alleged victim, directly or indirectly

Claressa Shields Fires a Bold Challenge at Price, Teasing a Blockbuster Showdown Fans Didn’t See Coming

Three-weight world champion Claressa Shields has called out Lauren Price for a blockbuster fight at middleweight.

The American issued her challenge in response to the Welsh fighter saying Shields “would have to come down” in weight, but what a “great fight” it would make.

“I’d love to do a two-fight, three-fight [deal], it’d be amazing,” Price told Betfred.

Shields – a five-division champion and one of the greatest female boxers of all-time – responded to Price on social media platform X.

“We both won Olympic gold medals at 75kg aka 165 pounds. I’d gladly welcome a showdown with you at 165 pounds,” said the 30-year-old.

“And I’ll show you why I was able to win back-to-back golds and you weren’t.”

READ MORE : “My Time Will Come-and I’m Not Afraid”: Anthony Joshua Breaks

Despite Price’s Olympic gold at middleweight, she has only fought professionally at welterweight, becoming a world champion in the division.

The 31-year-old former Wales footballer will defend her unified welterweight world titles against Puerto Rican challenger Stephanie Pineiro Aquino on Saturday, 4 April at Cardiff’s Utilita Arena.

Anthony Joshua

Shields has never fought below middleweight in a career in which she has won world titles spanning five weight divisions.

Her most recent contest was a win over Lani Daniels in July when she retained her undisputed heavyweight crown and remained unbeaten after 17 bouts.

Legal Trouble Deepens for Gervonta Davis as Probation Violation Triggers Arrest Warrant

A Baltimore judge has issued an arrest warrant for Gervonta Davis on grounds that he violated his probation one week after he was arrested in Miami on allegations of domestic violence.

Circuit Judge Althea M. Handy issued the warrant on Monday, according to the Baltimore Country court database.

Davis, 31, was on probation for a November 2020 hit-and-run in Baltimore that injured four people. He received 90 days of house arrest, three years of probation and 200 hours of community service. He later served 44 days in jail for violating the terms of his home detention.

Davis’ latest legal issues stem from accusations of attacking his ex-girlfriend, Courtney Rossel, on Oct. 27, 2025, at a strip club in Miami, where she had been working as a VIP cocktail server. Rossel filed a civil suit days after the incident, which forced Davis out of his November fight with Jake Paul.

READ MORE : Claressa Shields Gets the Ultimate Co-Sign as ‘GWOAT’: “I’m in

A warrant for his arrest was issued on Jan. 14 on charges of battery, false imprisonment and attempted kidnapping, but it took two weeks to track the boxer down. Miami Gardens Police Department and the United States Marshals fugitive task force conducted a three-county surveillance operation to find Davis, taking him into custody last Wednesday night without incident in the Miami Design District.

Davis was released the same day after posting an $8,500 bond and ordered to not have any contact with Rossel.

“My Time Will Come-and I’m Not Afraid”: Anthony Joshua Breaks His Silence After Devastating Car Crash

British-Nigerian boxer Anthony Joshua has spoken publicly following a road accident in Nigeria late last year that claimed the lives of two of his close friends.

In a video posted on his Instagram on Thursday, the former heavyweight champion paid tribute to Latif Ayodele, popularly known as Latz, and Gami Sina, who both died in the crash.

“So this is the best way I could reach out to all of you, far and wide, worldwide, who were showing so much love, care, support through that tragic, traumatic time where we lost Latz and Sina in Nigeria,” Joshua said.

The accident occurred on December 29, 2025, along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway. Joshua was also injured in the crash and later received medical treatment.

He said the loss was particularly painful because the group had made plans to end the year together.

“The last time I spoke to you guys was in Miami. We had so many plans to wrap up 2025, and we were on a mission. We went back home, went to see our families, and everything just got flipped upside on its head,” he said.

READ MORE : “This Wasn’t Supposed to Happen, Gervonta Davis Dragged

Joshua described Latz and Sina as central figures in his life and in the lives of those around them.

“Not only did their parents, their uncles, their cousins, their friends, and myself lose like two great men, we lost people that we dearly care about. They were major players in all of our lives,” he said.

Gervonta Davis

He added, “They’re my brothers, they’re my friends first and foremost, and then we became business partners. We became everything.”

The boxer said he feels a strong responsibility to continue supporting the families they left behind.

“I understand my duty. I understand what they wanted to do for their families, so my goal is to continue to help them achieve their goals, even though they may not be here in the physical,” he said.

“It ain’t about legacy. It’s just doing what’s right, and I know what I’m going to do, what’s right for them and what’s right for their family.”

Reflecting further on loss and mortality, Joshua said, “one day my time will come and I’m not scared either at all. It’s actually comforting knowing that I’ve got two brothers on the other side.

“I’ve lost people before, but I don’t think I’ve lost people like that, my left and my right.”

In the caption accompanying the video, Joshua wrote, “A short message from the heart. My brother’s keeper for life.”

He also thanked those who assisted at the scene of the crash and during his recovery.

RELATED NEWS : Terence Crawford Discusses Revealing Another Pregnancy to

“I want to take a moment to show a massive amount of appreciation to the first responders, to everyone who rushed to help Latz and Sina, to those who helped me get to the hospital, and to all the locals who prayed for us at the scene,” he wrote.

Joshua acknowledged the medical team at Lagoon Hospital, naming Dr Ogunyankin, Dr Tosin Majekodunmi and Dr Ninalowo.

He also thanked British Deputy High Commissioner Simon Field, as well as business figures Femi Otedola and Aliko Dangote, for their support.

Terence Crawford

“Without you guys, the transition back to the UK wouldn’t have been as smooth,” he said.

The boxer further expressed gratitude to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Dapo Abiodun, Bola Tinubu, and senior security officials.

“Thank you so much for your personal involvement, daily follow-ups and all your efforts,” Joshua said.

The Guardian had earlier reported that the victims, Latif Ayodele and Gami Sina, were both 36. Joshua was pulled from the wreckage and taken to Duchess International Hospital for treatment.

The driver involved in the crash, Adeniyi Kayode, 46, has since appeared before a magistrate’s court in Sagamu, Ogun State.

The case was adjourned until February 25 to allow the prosecution seek legal advice from the state Attorney-General’s office.

No Belts Left to Hide Behind: Shields’ Heavyweight Throne Under Serious Threat

Claressa Shields will defend her undisputed heavyweight championship in Detroit on February 22 against Franchon Crews-Dezurn; Shields, 30, is undefeated in her 17 professional bouts

Claressa Shields will defend her undisputed heavyweight crown against Franchon Crews-Dezurn at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit early next year.

Shields, 30, is undefeated in her 17 professional bouts and became the first undisputed champion with a win over Danielle Perkins in February.

She signed an $8m multi-year deal with Salita Promotions and Wynn Records in November, which the promotion company called the richest contract in women’s boxing.

Shields, a two-time Olympic champion, who goes by the moniker GWOAT [greatest woman of all time], has crossed paths with Crews-Dezurn before, beating the 38-year-old by unanimous decision in 2016 in what was both fighters’ professional debut.

READ MORE :‘IT’S REALLY TOUGH’ Anthony Joshua fights back tears as he

“I plan on putting Franchon Crews on her back and leaving with the KO,” Shields said. “My last few fights, I was dealing with injuries, but now I’m 100 per cent. Franchon is elite, but I am super elite, and I plan on proving that come fight night.”

Anthony Joshua

The undisputed women’s heavyweight and five-division champion beat Lani Daniels in Detroit at the home of the Red Wings and Pistons last summer in front of 15,000-plus fans to defend her heavyweight belts.

Meanwhile, unbeaten British welterweight world champion Lauren Price has repeatedly expressed hope of taking on fellow Olympic champion Shields in the future.

“The way I look at it, she’s always been in the back of my mind that I’ll box her one day,” Price told Sky Sports. “I’d love that fight. I want to become undisputed first and then obviously think about that.”

Both Shields and Price were Olympic gold medallists in the same division, and the Welsh star believes they can fight in future at middleweight.

RELATED NEWS :“This Wasn’t Supposed to Happen, Gervonta Davis Dragged

“I’ve always thought I’ll be a multi-weight world champion. Obviously there’s talks to happen in regard to weight and what I go up to.

Gervonta Davis

“When you’re driven and you’re motivated, you want to be involved in the biggest fights as well.”

Price is confident that not only can she get the fight with Shields but that she can beat her too.

“She’s a great fighter. I think it’s the best fight out there. It’ll be a tough fight but it’s a fight I believe I can win as well,” Price said.

“I think I outbox her with my speed, if I’m honest. I’m just too quick. She’s fast. She has got very fast hands, but I’m quicker.

“Before she said she would do me and [Natasha] Jonas on the same night,” Price added. “Then I boxed Jonas and she said she was impressed, this, that and the other. And now she wants the fight. I must have done something right!”