A rematch ten years in the making was finally announced Tuesday, as Claressa Shields and Franchon Crews-Dezurn run it back after sharing their professional debut.
Shields of Flint, Michigan (17-0, 3 KOs) and Crews-Dezurn of Baltimore (10-2, 2 KOs) will return to the ring on Sunday, February 22, 2026 in the main event of a Salita Promotions card in partnership with Wynn Records and 313 Presents at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, where Shields regularly sells out the venue.
Shields will defend her undisputed heavyweight world championship for the second time. Crews-Dezurn will move up two divisions to challenge Shields.
The high-stakes showdown comes after Shields resigned for a record $8 million contract with Salita Promotions and Wynn Records, the largest contract in women’s boxing history.
A special ticket pre-sale window opens on Thursday, Dec. 11 at 10 a.m. ET/7 am PT. Visit 313Presents.com and Ticketmaster.com and use the code GWOAT to purchase. Additional event details will be released in the coming weeks.
The card will stream live on DAZN Boxing.
Shields has suffered from a lack of serious competition, a challenge for many of the champions in the higher weight divisions, simply due to a lack of numbers.
With Crews-Dezurn following the lead of several accomplished male champions moving up in weight to challenge themselves as Terence Crawford did earlier this year against Canelo Álvarez, Crews-Dezurn is in a ‘nothing to lose, everything to gain’ situation, while Shields can reaffirm her skills with a solid performance. We say bring it on.
Shields vs Crews-Dezurn: Collision Course
The decade-long rivalry has also become a friendship between the two women, both pioneers of women’s boxing and both champions who understand the challenges each faces in the sport, both inside and outside the ring, in the biggest fight for respect. But friendship will be set aside as both Shields and Crews-Dezurn have something to prove to themselves and each other.
On November 19, 2016, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Claressa Shields and Franchon Crews-Dezurn met as two decorated amateur competitors making their simultaneous professional debuts against each other on the undercard of the first fight between Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev.
Shields had just won her second Olympic gold medal, becoming the first American boxer, male or female, to ever accomplish the feat, the first gold medalist for the United States since Ward won in 2004, and the only one since 2016. This was no layup fight that might have been expected for an emerging Olympian by putting Crews-Dezurn in front of Shields.
Although the heavily favored Shields won that night, it was far from a cakewalk. As one of the few journalists watching ringside that night with a sparse crowd early in the fight, several of my colleagues and I were impressed by the performance Crews-Dezurn put up against Shields. We believed the case could easily be made for a Crews-Dezurn victory or at least a draw.
Champions Run It Back on Feb. 22
Nevertheless, Crews-Dezurn would become one of the rare world champions after a loss in their pro debut, joining Hall of Fame greats like Bernard Hopkins and Juan Manuel Marquez. She turned the loss into momentum, rebuilding herself into a world champion at super middleweight, often fighting without a promoter or much support beyond that of her husband, fellow professional boxer Glenn Dezurn Jr.
Their shared beginning and those questions of what a rematch would look like has persisted ever since, even as the two became friends and mutual supporters. Crews-Dezurn, an accomplished fashion designer, has created several of Shields’ fight outfits, and both have attended each other’s bouts.
“In 2016, I had just come off winning two Olympic gold medals, fresh out of the amateurs, and finding an opponent was tough,” recalls Shields. “Franchon stepped in.
“I’ve grown a lot since that first victory, going on to win 19 world titles, the ESPY award, and countless other achievements, but me and Franchon have unfinished business that needs to be settled.
“She’s been poppin’ it like she can whoop me in a world championship fight. We went four rounds in our pro debut, and this fight will pick up from round five.”
“I’ve been waiting and working a long time for this moment, and we finally meet again,” said Crews-Dezurn, “this time as established champions with great legacies.”
“I’m honored to return to Detroit to defend my undisputed heavyweight world championship,” said Shields. “Selling out Little Caesars Arena was a dream, and my fans made that come true. Fighting in Michigan motivates me, and it also puts pressure on me because I never want to fail them.”
“In my first fight with Franchon, I won a unanimous decision, but come February 22, I don’t have those same plans,” said Shields. I plan on putting Franchon Crews on her back and leaving with the KO. My last few fights, I was dealing with injuries, but now I’m 100 percent. Franchon is elite, but I am super elite, and I plan on proving that come fight night.”
“I’m daring to be even greater by going up in weight, strutting into hell so I can create my heaven” responded Crews-Dezurn, known as ‘The Heavy Hitting Diva.’
“I’m a worldwide woman that’s good in any hood and can’t wait to give Detroit, along with the world, a great fight. This is my sixth fight in a row on DAZN, and I am grateful to be back once again with everything on the line and grateful to Salita Promotions and my manager Peter Kahn for getting this fight made.”
Highly Anticipated Fight With Legacy At Stake
Salita Promotions president Dmitriy Salita has been Shields’ promoter of record since that pro debut, beginning a partnership with Salita, establishing Shields as one of the rare women’s pros who can headline and sell out a fight card. Nearly a decade later, they return to the stage where Shields has become one of the sport’s most celebrated champions.
“This fight represents everything Claressa Shields has stood for since day one, heart, courage, and a relentless commitment to greatness and equality for women all around the world, something she has championed since her very first day in the gym,” said Salita.
“Nearly a decade ago, Claressa and Franchon stepped into the ring as two Olympians making their professional debuts. Since then, both have risen to become world champions and global forces in women’s boxing. Now, these two giants meet again under the largest contract in the history of the sport, in a matchup that carries international significance.”
“Our partnership with Wynn Records allows us to amplify Claressa’s reach and bring this historic moment to fans around the world,” added Salita. “February 22 is more than a rematch — it is a landmark for our sport and a reflection of how far women’s boxing has come.”
“Claressa Shields represents everything Wynn Records stands for excellence, innovation, and breaking barriers,” said Ruben Branson of Wynn. “Her $8 million deal isn’t just a milestone for women’s boxing, it’s a statement about what’s possible when talent meets vision.”
American rapper Shamele Mackie, who performs as Papoose, is also an executive at Wynn Records and has a personal relationship with Shields. Naturally, he’s backing his fighter.
“This fight is more than just a rematch. It’s a moment for the culture. Claressa is the embodiment of greatness, discipline, and determination. She’s proven time and again that she’s not just the best in women’s boxing, she’s one of the best, period.
“February 22 is going to be exciting to watch, and Wynn Records is honored to be part of this historic chapter.”
313 Presents President Howard Handler brings the perspective of Shields’ impressive support in Detroit. “Claressa Shields is more than a champion. She’s the heartbeat of Detroit boxing. Her last fight at Little Caesars Arena proved that she can electrify an entire city, and on Sunday, February 22, she’ll bring that energy back for a historic rematch with Franchon Crews-Dezurn.
“This is a full-circle moment, ten years in the making, and we’re proud to showcase it right here in Detroit.”