Claressa Shields Secures $8M Deal Ahead of Franchón Crews-Dezurn Main Event

Undefeated heavyweight champion Claressa Shields signed a record-breaking $8 million multifight contract including a $3 million signing bonus.

Claressa Shields, the undefeated and undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, recently signed a guaranteed $8 million multifight contract, which includes a $3 million signing bonus. This agreement represents the largest contract in the history of women’s boxing. The deal was facilitated by executive Papoose of Wynn Records and promoter Dmitriy Salita following Shields’ July 26, 2025, victory at Little Caesars Arena. That event generated nearly $1.5 million in ticket sales alone, drawing a crowd of 15,000 spectators to Detroit. Shields, who has won 19 world championships across weight classes ranging from 154-pound super welterweight to heavyweight, is now targeting a $50 million single-fight payday to match the career benchmarks of Floyd Mayweather.

On February 22, Shields is scheduled to headline a main event against archrival Franchón Crews-Dezurn at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena, where 18,000 fans are expected to attend. This matchup occurs nine years after Shields defeated Crews-Dezurn in her professional debut on a Las Vegas undercard. Shields has maintained a perfect professional record since turning pro in November 2016. Her career highlights include becoming the first American boxer to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals, securing her first at the 2012 London Games at age 17 and her second at the 2016 Rio Games by defeating Nouchka Fontijn of the Netherlands.

Olympic Foundation and Professional Rise

Shields began her pursuit of Olympic history at age 14 after learning women’s boxing would be included in the 2012 Games. During her early training in Flint, Michigan, she ran four miles to the gym in worn-out shoes and sparred with Darrion Lawson because local girls were intimidated by her skill. Despite earning a $50,000 prize for her first gold medal, Shields initially struggled to secure major endorsements. After her 2016 victory in Rio, where she celebrated with a cartwheel in the ring, brands including Powerade, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Under Armour eventually reached out.

In the years following her move to Florida for Olympic training, Shields focused on financial milestones, aiming to become the first female boxer to earn one million dollars. Although she dominated the ring, she expressed frustration to mentor Andre Dirrell regarding the timing of major opportunities, specifically noting the November 2024 Netflix fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano. Dirrell encouraged her by paraphrasing Viktor Frankl’s "Man’s Search for Meaning," advising her that her time for stratospheric fame would arrive.

Digital Impact and Viral Stardom

Shields has amassed a digital following exceeding 3 million people across multiple platforms. Her reach includes 1.6 million followers on Instagram, 800,000 across three Facebook pages, and 208,000 subscribers on YouTube. According to Google Trends, U.S. search interest in Shields reached an all-time high in July 2025, a 300% increase compared to periods prior to her public relationship with rapper Papoose. The first video to go viral during this period featured Papoose serenading Shields to his "Touch It" remix as she walked into the ring for a fight against Danielle Perkins in front of 6,000 fans in Flint.

Shields actively manages her online presence, sometimes aiming for 100 Snapchat posts per day. She frequently interacts with both supporters and critics, pinning positive comments to her profile while addressing negative comparisons to athletes like Serena Williams. The champion views herself as the primary driver of her brand's value, stating, "I am the content."

Preparation for Madison Square Garden

Prior to her title defense against Crews-Dezurn, Shields made a ringside appearance at the Shakur Stevenson-Teofimo Lopez fight at Madison Square Garden. To prepare for the event, she transformed a room in a New Jersey apartment into a personal salon, working with makeup artist Andi to apply gold shimmery eyeshadow, winged eyelashes, and red lipstick. Before the appearance, Shields maintained her athletic routine by shadowboxing at a local gym and eating a meal of fish, rice, and spinach. She transitioned from a bright pink Versace sweatshirt into a pink sleeveless outfit for the evening, continuing to leverage her high-profile lifestyle to maintain her position as a central figure in professional sports media.