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Claressa Shields Dominates Franchon Crews-Dezurn, Defends Undisputed Heavyweight Crown in Detroit

Originally posted on Dice City Sports | By Robert LaMar | Last updated Feb 23, 2026 12:48 PM ET

DETROIT — Claressa Shields and Franchon Crews-Dezurn promised fireworks. They delivered. In front of more than 17,000 fans at Little Caesars Arena, Shields defended her undisputed heavyweight championship with a unanimous decision victory, sweeping all three scorecards 100-90 in a 10-round showcase between longtime rivals. Shields improved to 18-0 (3 KOs), while Crews-Dezurn fell to 10-3.

Sunday’s bout marked a rematch of their 2016 professional debuts, when Shields earned a four-round decision victory in Las Vegas on the undercard of Andre Ward’s light heavyweight clash with Sergey Kovalev. Nearly a decade later, both fighters entered as established champions in their own right.

Crews-Dezurn, still a titleholder at super middleweight, pushed the pace early with aggressive flurries in the opening rounds. But as the fight wore on, Shields’ timing, jab, and ring IQ began to take control.

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Adjustments and Separation

By the fifth round, Shields’ precision started wearing on her opponent. She relied heavily on a sharp, well-timed jab that consistently split Crews-Dezurn’s guard. While the official scorecards read 100-90 across the board, Shields acknowledged the competitiveness of the action.

“I felt like I had to take my time,” Shields said post-fight. “Franchon hits hard and she’s tough. You got to be very tricky with her. That’s one of the best fights I’ve been in at my professional career.”

Claressa Shields later added she believed Crews-Dezurn may have taken two rounds, despite the shutout scores. Crews-Dezurn left her mark physically, too a visible stitch on Shields’ face served as proof of the back-and-forth exchanges.

Mutual Respect

After 10 intense rounds, the rivals embraced at center ring. “She inspires me,” Crews-Dezurn said. “She came in at a time where I was dominant and shook the table up. It’s never jealousy I’m proud of her.”

The night had a celebratory atmosphere. Terence Crawford was in attendance, along with rapper Tee Grizzley and comedians Mike Epps and Michael Blackson. Rapper Lil Boosie accompanied Shields during her ring walk, performing “Set It Off.”

This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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