Franchon Crews-Dezurn wasn’t planning on going more than a year without being in the ring. But as 2024 comes to a close, the former undisputed women’s super-middleweight champion is hoping to be back within the first few months of 2025.
She’s also willing to change weight classes to make it happen.
Crews-Dezurn has been at or around the 168lbs weight class since debuting in 2016, when she shared the ring with Claressa Shields in the two-time Olympic gold medalist’s first pro bout. Crews-Dezurn lost the decision but went on to acquire world titles.
She nabbed the vacant WBC belt in September 2018 with a majority decision over Maricela Cornejo. She then added the vacant WBO belt in a rematch with Cornejo in September 2019, this time winning a unanimous decision. And she became the undisputed champ in April 2022, outpointing the IBF and WBA titleholder Elin Cederroos.
Crews-Dezurn’s time as undisputed champ ended 14 months later in her next defense, a majority decision defeat by Savannah Marshall in July 2023. But she regained the vacant WBC belt before the end of the year, topping Shadasia Green by unanimous decision. (Crews-Dezurn also won the interim WBA belt in that bout and has since been upgraded.)
Crews-Dezurn, 37, says she was offered a sequel with Green but turned it down. Green instead edged Melinda Watpool in November, picking up the vacant WBO belt on the preliminary undercard of Jake Paul-Mike Tyson.
“It didn’t make sense to me,” Crews-Dezurn told BoxingScene. “It was somebody I already beat. They weren't a champion. And the offer wasn't, I didn't feel like, especially if you're promoting women's boxing and you got a Katie [Taylor] and Amanda [Serrano]... I'm an undisputed champ. I'm very accomplished. I just don't have a big co-sign. But I already did that. So come correct or don't come at all.”
Crews-Dezurn expressed interest in rematches with Shields and Marshall.
Shields has the WBO title at light heavyweight, the WBC title at heavyweight – which is anything above 168lbs for that sanctioning body – and will look to add the vacant IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles in a match on February 2 against Danielle Perkins (each of those organizations has a different weight minimum, but you should expect both competitors to be closer to 175 than to 200lbs).
Marshall hasn’t boxed since her win over Crews-Dezurn and instead has been competing in MMA. She remains the IBF titleholder and the lineal champ but no longer has the three other belts.
Crews-Dezurn also mentioned Natasha Jonas and Oshae Jones, and said she’s open to going up to heavyweight, or dropping down to middleweight or even to junior middleweight
“It’s a lot of girls out there – I want to make some super fights,” she said. “I have a couple of pounds I could shed. I'm willing to push myself now because I'm not here for a long time. I'm here for a good time. As an amateur, I was a pound-for-pound champion, and I just want to prove myself.”
David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2 and @UnitedBoxingPod. He is the co-host of the United Boxing Podcast. David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.
