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eric woodyard
multiple authors
DETROIT – Undisputed heavyweight champion Claressa Shields and longtime rival Franchon Cruz-Dezern promised an action-packed fight Sunday night – and they delivered, with Shields defending her crown via unanimous decision at Little Caesars Arena.
All three judges scored the match 100-90.
Shields, fighting at home, improved to 18-0 (2 KOs). Cruz-Dezern, who holds the super middleweight title, lost 10-3.
“I had to take my time tonight,” Shields said. “This is one of the toughest fights I have faced during my professional career. She is fighting hard these days.”
This was a rematch of her 2016 pro debut, where Shields won by four-round decision.
Both fighters pressured the action from the opening round, but Shields, ESPN’s No. 1 pound-for-pound female boxer, began to wear down her opponent by the fifth round.
The win marked the second defense by Shields of her undisputed heavyweight crown, which she won in a unanimous decision over Danielle Perkins in February 2025.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
