Claressa Shields Defends Heavyweight Title in Detroit

Undisputed champion faces Franchón Crews-Dezurn in highly anticipated bout

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Claressa Shields, the undisputed heavyweight champion, will defend her title tonight against challenger Franchón Crews-Dezurn at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The fight will be streamed live on DAZN, with the main event expected to start around 11 p.m. ET.

Why it matters

Shields, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, is one of the biggest stars in women's boxing. This title defense against the skilled Crews-Dezurn is a marquee event that will showcase the growing popularity and talent depth in the women's heavyweight division.

The details

Shields (13-0, 2 KOs) will be making the third defense of her undisputed heavyweight title. She won the championship in 2022 and has successfully defended it twice. Crews-Dezurn (8-1, 2 KOs) is a former super middleweight champion looking to pull off the upset and capture the heavyweight crown.

  • The main event is expected to start around 11 p.m. ET on February 23, 2026.

The players

Claressa Shields

A two-time Olympic gold medalist and the current undisputed heavyweight champion.

Franchón Crews-Dezurn

The challenger, a former super middleweight champion, looking to capture the heavyweight title.

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What they’re saying

“Claressa Shields is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. This is a huge opportunity for me to shock the world and become the new heavyweight champion.”

— Franchón Crews-Dezurn, Challenger

What’s next

The winner of this fight will likely face the next top contender in the heavyweight division.

The takeaway

This title fight showcases the growing popularity and talent depth in women's boxing, as two of the sport's top stars clash for the undisputed heavyweight championship.