The highly anticipated rematch between Franchon Crews-Dezurn and Claressa Shields is set to be a game-changer! But will it live up to the hype?
It's been a long journey since their first encounter, which feels like a lifetime ago. Back in November 2016, both boxers made their professional debuts on the undercard of a legendary fight between Sergey Kovalev and Andre Ward. Shields, fresh from her second Olympic gold medal victory, and Crews-Dezurn, with an impressive amateur background, stepped into the ring. Unfortunately, Crews-Dezurn suffered a defeat that night, losing a four-round shutout decision.
Fast forward to today, and the boxing world has witnessed Shields' meteoric rise. She's conquered the super middleweight division, becoming the undisputed champion at middleweight, junior middleweight, and then reclaiming the middleweight throne. Not content with that, she ventured into light heavyweight, snatching a belt, and now reigns as the undisputed heavyweight champion. A true force to be reckoned with!
Crews-Dezurn, on the other hand, has her own story of resilience. She became the undisputed queen of 168 pounds but faced a setback when she lost the crown to Savannah Marshall. However, fate had a twist in store as Marshall was stripped of the WBA and WBC belts, allowing Crews-Dezurn to reclaim her glory. But here's where it gets controversial: Marshall's subsequent loss to Shadasia Green last July raises questions about the true nature of these title exchanges.
The upcoming bout, scheduled for February 22 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, will see Crews-Dezurn, 10-2 (2 KOs), stepping up to heavyweight to challenge the undefeated Shields, 17-0 (3 KOs). And this time, Crews-Dezurn is confident it will be different. She attributes this to having more time to train, unlike the mere two and a half weeks she had before their initial fight.
Crews-Dezurn is coming off a majority decision win over Citlalli Ortiz last June, a fight she considers one of her worst due to injuries and backstage drama. She acknowledges that Shields has evolved since their first meeting, gaining experience and comfort as a professional. Interestingly, the two boxers sparred last year during Shields' transition to heavyweight, a move that Crews-Dezurn embraced despite knowing Shields was scouting her for a potential future fight.
As the rematch draws near, the boxing community is abuzz with anticipation. Will Crews-Dezurn's additional training time be enough to dethrone the dominant Shields? Or will Shields' experience and adaptability prove too much to handle? And this is the part most people miss: What impact will their previous sparring sessions have on the outcome? Only time will tell. So, mark your calendars and get ready for what promises to be an electrifying showdown!
