Claressa Shields: Beyond The Ropes

Claressa Shields: Beyond The Ropes

As a general rule, boxing biopics tend to miss the mark. Even with the obligatory creative licence in play, certain inaccuracies contained in the film are difficult to ignore. One of the better attempts at delivering a piece of film that is worth your time was The Fire Inside, a 2024 offering on the life of Claressa Shields.

It was raw and highlighted perfectly the early struggles of the two-time Olympic champion. Shields never had it easy. The understatement of any year. She survived many things. A beyond tough time in her youth. Those incredibly hard struggles instilled an independence and resilience that have seen her not only survive, but thrive in life beyond those teenage years. An impressive self-belief that was formed very early on in her formative years. Even at 15, Shields knew she would become the best female fighter on the planet. And she did.

Shields at one time could have been lost to boxing, but her perseverance paid off handsomely. At just 17 and against the odds, Shields won a gold medal at the London Olympics. Four years later in Rio, she did so again. Shields didn’t lose a round throughout the tournament and became the first American boxer to successfully defend an Olympic title. Only Savannah Marshall defeated her in the amateur ranks. An almost impeccable amateur resume that included two World Championships. Many forget what Shields achieved as an amateur.

Shields turned professional in November 2016 with a four-round points decision over former amateur rival Franchon Crews-Dezurn. This weekend at the Little Ceasars Arena in Detroit, Shields and Crews-Dezurn will do it one more time. This time, with undisputed status in the heavyweight ranks on the line.

A lot has changed since 2016. Shields is unbeaten in seventeen fights and is a multi-weight world champion, undisputed in three of those weight divisions. Crews-Dezurn is a former undisputed world super-middleweight champion and currently holds the WBC and WBA 168 titles. Only Shields and Savannah Marshall have beaten her in the pro ranks. Crews-Dezurn has won two fights since losing to Marshall in 2023, including an impressive victory over Shadasia Green, who has since gone on to defeat Marshall in a minor upset. Crews-Dezurn might be a big betting outsider, but she comes with real credentials. Despite those odds, it is still a fight of much intrigue.

Shields earned a reported $50,000 against Crews-Dezurn the first time around, but the rematch is the first fight of a shiny new $8m deal with Salita Promotions. Those harsh times portrayed in The Fire Inside are now firmly in the past, but Shields has retained all that old ambition. Despite all the success, the 30-year-old wants more. Much more.

Crews-Dezurn, even in defeat, doesn’t go quietly, and that’s the likely outcome this weekend. The 38-year-old challenger deserves respect, and I expect her to give Shields her toughest night since that revenge win over Savannah Marshall in 2022. I wouldn’t be totally surprised if Crews-Dezurn has to get off the floor before coming up short on the cards.

The talk will then start with who is next. Lauren Price and Mikaela Mayer have been mentioned. Either would suffice, but they might have business together before any potential fight with Shields. But a mega fight with a financial offer to match could tempt Price or Mayer to test their skills against Shields. Agreeing on a weight could be problematic. A Shields-Mayer match-up is probably more likely of the two; there has been talk between the two camps already, and it could well be the biggest fight to be made in women’s boxing right now. Both can promote a fight, almost certainly better than any of their peers.

Despite everything Claressa Shields has achieved in her boxing career, at 30, she might not yet be at her peak. If she decides to drop down to somewhere near the middleweight limit, the biggest fights of her truly incredible career are still to come. But wherever she lands and whoever she fights, don’t be surprised if we get The Fire Inside 2 at some point in the next few years.