The last time Claressa Shields and Franchon Crews Dezurn came face-to-face in a professional fight, they were both making their debuts. And the result didn’t change in tonight’s rematch either. Having already defeated Dezurn via unanimous decision back in 2016, Shields produced yet another dominant performance at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. 

All three judges scored the fight 110-90 in Shields’ favor, as she defeated the unified super middleweight champion to retain her undisputed heavyweight status. The performance managed to draw out praise from the likes of Shakur Stevenson and Terence Crawford, who have supported the three-division undisputed champion for years.

Terence Crawford and Shakur Stevenson had only praise

“Do y’all not see the skill,” Stevenson wrote on X. “THE GREATEST EVER.”

“She did amazing,” Terence Crawford told DAZN. “Man, what more can I say? [Sheilds] is the greatest woman alive… [She should do] whatever she wants to  [next]. She is the woman in charge, she is the baddest women in the earth.”

The praise from Terence Crawford and Shakur Stevenson only reinforced her case as the self-proclaimed ‘GWOAT.’ With two consecutive Olympic gold medals, world titles across five weight classes, and undisputed championships in three different divisions, it’s difficult to find holes in her resume.

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Yet for all of Claressa Shields’ continued dominance, questions remain about the depth of competition in her division. The upper weight classes in women’s boxing lack elite contenders, and there appears to be little urgency from Shields to move back down in weight to pursue more compelling matchups. That’s precisely what fans were quick to point out.

Fans aren’t buying Claressa Shields’ ‘GWOAT’ status

One user dismissed Shields’ win over Dezurn. “She will NEVER be the ‘GWOAT’ until she actually fights GOOD competition,” the user wrote on X. The lack of depth in the division is underscored by Shields’ repeated victories over Dezurn. She hasn’t just beaten Dezurn once or twice, but five times in total, with three of those wins coming during their amateur careers.

The next user was also not sold on Shields’ ‘GWOAT’ status. “She has absolutely 0 competition in her weight class… Women’s boxing is just god-awful,” the user commented. Shields became the WBC heavyweight champion in July 2024 by beating an opponent with a 7-1 record and barely any amateur experience. She became undisputed by beating Danielle Perkins, who had a 5-0 record at the time.

Even the next user bashed Shields ‘GWOAT’ status. “Fights in the least competitive divisions, no good opposition, and has the biggest ego in women’s boxing by beating dinner ladies,” the user commented. Notably, Dezurn had even sat out the entirety of 2024, fighting just once before facing Shields.

Meanwhile, this user didn’t criticize Shields but claimed they weren’t expecting any other outcome. “Everyone knew she was already going to win. Great performance, but already expected,” the user wrote. Interestingly, Dezurn’s last fight was in the super middleweight division. She came up in weight, especially to fight Shields, and they have been friends since Shields was 15 and Dezun was 23.

The next user urged Shields to face real competition. “She running from Shadasia Green and Cris Cyborg to hell with that weak-a— fight,” the user commented. Although Claressa Shields has been linked to several great fighters, a fight has never come close to materializing. 

That being said, it appears Claressa Shields’ latest win only managed to impress her friends. When it comes to fans, they aren’t happy about Shields’ bold claims about herself when there’s no competition to challenge her. What do you think about these comments? Are they overly harsh? Or rooted in truth?