Who is Franchón Crews-Dezurn?
Undisputed super-middleweight world champion Franchon Crews-Dezurn (8-1, 2KO) puts her hoard of titles on the line against former WBO middleweight world champion Savannah Marshall (12-1, 10KO) this Saturday, July 1, at the AO Arena in Manchester, live on DAZN.
But who is the big personality from America? Find out informative and fun facts about Franchon the fighter below:
Franchón Facts
Franchón Crews was born June 13, 1987 in Norfolk, Virginia.
All her siblings were brothers so growing up fighting and being rough was second nature to her. After her family moved to Baltimore, she used to fight in school and often get involved in street fights too.
She first became interested in boxing in 2003, aged 15, regarding it as a good workout to get into shape in order to pursue a singing career. Friends of hers told her she lose 5lbs a day by boxing training so she immediately found a gym.
She quickly fell in love with the sport and won the Maryland State title in her first ever amateur bout in April 2004, aged 16.
The aspiring artist was a contestant on the 2004 "American Idol" TV show, which is the year that Jennifer Hudson entered and was won by Fantasia Barrino. She declared on national TV that: "If I'm not the American Idol, I'm going to be the middleweight champion of the world."
She was the first black woman to qualify and represent the USA in the Pan American Games.
During her 12-year amateur boxing career, Crews-Dezurn was an eight-time US Open National Champion, a four-time Pan Am Continental Champion, a two-time National PAL Champion, and a two-time US Olympic Team Alternate.
She represented the United States internationally in England; Kazakhstan; Canada; Mexico; Russia; Venezuela; China; Ecuador; Argentina; Trinidad And Tobago.
Franchón won bronze (2016) and silver (2012) medals in the World Amateur Championships.
During the 2012 London Olympic Test Event Semi-Final, in November 2011, Crews-Dezurn lost to Savannah Marshall at the ExCeL Centre, Canning Town, London. The fight was very close with the Brit beating the American 14-12.
She also lost a few times to Claressa Shields in the amateurs, in the 2012 USA Olympic Trials, the 2012 USA PAL Championships Final, and the 2014 USA Women's National Championships Final.
BoxRec list her amateur record at 56-19, 17KO.
Her boxing nickname is "The Heavy Hitting Diva".
She is trained by head coach Barry Hunter, who used to train brothers Lamont and Anthony Peterson, and managed by Peter Kahn, who also manages unbeaten prospects Xander Zayas, Henry Lebron, Charlie Sheehy, and Yankiel Rivera Figueroa.
Her pro debut was on November 19, 2016, at the T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas, against Claressa Shields. She lost a four-round unanimous decision with all three judges' scoring 40-36. According to Crews-Dezurn, 13 opponents before her had turned down the fight with Shields and she only took it on two-and-a-half weeks' notice.
Crews-Dezurn signed with Golden Boy in June 2019.
On September 14, 2019 at the Dignity Health Sports Park, in Carson, California, Crews Dezurn, won a 10-round unanimous decision over Maricela Cornejo to win the WBC and vacant WBO Super middleweight world titles.
In January 2020, she fought in a controversial battle against Alejandra Jimenez. Though originally suffering a split decision loss, it was later changed to a no decision by the Texas commission after a positive test for a banned substance was returned from Jimenez, so Crews-Dezurn was rightfully reinstated as the WBC and WBO Super Middleweight World Champion.
She became female boxing's first ever Undisputed super-middleweight champion when she defeated unbeaten Elin Cederroos on the historic Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano card in Madison Square Garden, New York, in April 2022.
She is married to professional boxer Glenn Dezurn, 35 from Baltimore. Glenn Tjuantel Dezurn is currently 16-3-1, 13KOs and is ranked 14th in the American super-bantamweight division. He is an NABA title contender and last fought in January this year. She said of her spouse: "My goal in life before I retire is for my husband and I to fight on the same card. Because he's electrifying. He's an inspiration for me and definitely the wind beneath my wings."
Her mother, Sarah Marie Crews, became very sick in 2005 and had to spend three months in hospital. Sadly, she lost her mother in 2016. Heartbroken, Franchón has said it has provided her with extra motivation and determination to succeed and work harder.
She has recorded her own songs in the studio, is a huge fan of hip-hop and R&B, listing Destiny's Child and Beyonce as her idols.
Franchón's single “Secret Place” is #30 on the Music Week Commercial Pop Club Chart: https://open.spotify.com/track/0LpciXIJBjzo3utQnJ3vvz?si=0gqaqdENTnSCKkKgQLfNcw
The talented vocalist has ambitions to sing the national anthem before her fights.
As well as singing and boxing, she has debuted her own fashion collection and launched her own promotional company to represent her.
Social Media
Instagram: @thehhdiva
Facebook: facebook.com/thehhdiva
Twitter: @thehhdiva
Article sponsored by HÖRFA