The highly-anticipated rematch between Claressa Shields and Franchon Crews-Dezurn has already sparked some major drama. As the two boxers prepared for their match at Little Caesars Arena on February 22nd, things took a chaotic turn during the weigh-in the day prior. While both women were trying to confirm their weights, tensions quickly reached a boiling point during the traditional face-off. Suddenly, gloves came off and the two fighters got physical. The Shade Room even shared some snippets of the intense altercation on their Instagram page.
Crews-Dezurn and Shields literally butted heads, causing the heavyweight champion to push her opponent away. But the chaos didn't stop there. Members from both camps joined in, resulting in even more madness. Security guards had to jump in to try and control the situation, but things only escalated when Crews-Dezurn's husband intervened to stop a guard from holding her back.
Unfortunately, this pre-fight brawl left one of the stars of the match injured. As things cooled down on the main stage, another fight broke out backstage, with Crews-Dezurn caught in the middle. While Shields managed to break away from the scuffle, it was reported that Crews-Dezurn suffered a rolled ankle and swollen knee. Many began to question whether or not the match would still take place.
Shields also shared her thoughts on the matter, accusing Crews-Dezurn of trying to back out of the fight due to fear. She also gave her own account of what happened, denying any claims that she orchestrated the altercation. In a tweet, Shields reminded people that fights at weigh-ins are not uncommon in the boxing world, and it's ridiculous to suggest that this was all planned.
However, Crews-Dezurn wasn't backing down either. The two boxers engaged in a heated exchange online, with Crews-Dezurn calling out Shields for lying about what happened. She even pointed out that video evidence showed someone from Shields' team starting the brawl by hitting someone from the hotel's staff.
Despite the injuries and the ongoing online drama, Shields confirmed that the fight would still go on as planned. With all the attention and media coverage surrounding this brawl, it's likely that more people will tune in to see how these two fierce competitors will settle their differences in the ring.
In the midst of all this chaos, Shields has also shown her softer side by hosting her annual holiday giveaway. Despite the ongoing drama with Crews-Dezurn, Shields chose to spread love and positivity instead of engaging in petty behavior. Now, all eyes will be on the upcoming match to see if these two talented athletes can put their differences aside and focus on the sport they both excel in.
