Claressa Shields will defend her undisputed heavyweight crown against Franchon Crews-Dezurn at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit early next year.
Shields, 30, is unbeaten in 17 professional fights and became the first undisputed champion with a win over Danielle Perkins in February. In November she signed an $8m multi-year deal with Salita Promotions and Wynn Records, a contract the promoters called the richest in women’s boxing.
Shields and Crews-Dezurn have met before: Shields beat the 38-year-old by unanimous decision in 2016, a fight that doubled as both women’s professional debuts.
“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.”
Shields, the undisputed women’s heavyweight and five-division champion, defended her heavyweight belts last summer in Detroit against Lani Daniels in front of more than 15,000 fans.
Unbeaten British welterweight world champion Lauren Price has repeatedly expressed a desire to face Shields in the future. “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 were Olympic gold medallists in the same division, and Price believes a meeting could happen at middleweight. “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. When you’re driven and you’re motivated, you want to be involved in the biggest fights as well.”
Price says she can beat Shields. “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. 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!”