Dec 10 (Reuters) – Boxing’s undisputed heavyweight champion Claressa Shields will defend her belts against Franchon Crews-Dezurn in Detroit in February next year in her first fight after signing a landmark deal, organisers said late on Tuesday.
Shields, 30, is undefeated in her 17 professional bouts and became the first undisputed women’s heavyweight champion with a win over Danielle Perkins in February.
She signed an $8 million multi-year deal with Salita Promotions and Wynn Records in November, which the promotion company called the richest contract in women’s boxing.
Shields, a two-time Olympic champion, has crossed paths with Crews-Dezurn before, beating the 38-year-old by unanimous decision in 2016 in what was both fighters’ professional debut.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Nashik, India; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)
