Claressa Shields-Franchon Crews-Dezurn II to proceed

DETROIT – The rematch between undisputed heavyweight champion Claressa Shields and long-time rival Franchon Crews-Dezurn is moving forward for its main event spot on Sunday evening, erasing any concerns that the bout would be canceled due to injuries Crews-Dezurn suffered in a melee at Saturday’s weigh-in.

A source with the promotion confirmed the news to BoxingScene on Sunday morning.

The concerns arose after a short-but-ugly brawl between the fighters’ camps. After Shields and Crews-Dezurn stepped on the scale in the concourse of Little Caesars Arena, they were called to the center of the stage for the traditional face-off. Crews-Dezurn put her forehead up against Shields’, and the undisputed heavyweight champion shoved Crews-Dezurn away.

After the shove, a security guard jumped onstage and tried to hold Crews-Dezurn back. Crews-Dezurn’s husband, pro boxer Glenn Dezurn, pushed the guard’s hand away from her. 

Members of the fighters’ camps then began to jaw at and jostle with each other. Shields had walked away from the stage and was not involved in any of the confrontations that followed her shove. Things seemed to have calmed down onstage. And then a brief melee broke out behind the stage.

Crews-Dezurn pursued – sources told BoxingScene that she was trying to get to Glenn Dezurn, who was involved. Video captured by FightHype shows Crews-Dezurn in an area behind the stage, falling into a table and on to the ground. Glenn Dezurn was soon back with her. The fighting had quickly come to an end. But the damage had apparently been done.

After the weigh-in, Crews-Dezurn was seen speaking privately with her manager, Peter Kahn, who confirmed to BoxingScene that Crews-Dezurn had rolled her ankle. A separate source with personal knowledge of the situation told BoxingScene that Crews-Dezurn suffered a swollen knee and ankle and planned to see a doctor on Sunday morning before making any decision.

The promotion had a replacement available in case Crews-Dezurn was not able to fight.

David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2. David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.