Franchon Crews-Dezurn has become the new WBC super middleweight champion after defeating Shadasia Green in a title bout on Friday, December 15th. Crews won by unanimous decision (UD) in a sloppy match that involved a lot of holding from Crews, heavily marring a bout that was supposed to showcase what some of the best fighters at 168 lbs had to offer. Their match co-evented on the undercard of the Jake Paul-Andre August headliner at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida.
While their match had initially been to decide the mandatory challenger for the WBC champion at the time, former undisputed super middleweight champion Savannah Marshall (13-1, 10 KO’s), the WBC title became available when Marshall was forced to relinquish her title due to injury.
The WBA interim title was also made available. The circumstances of the sudden inclusion of this title are astoundingly confusing and odd, given there was no actual need for it other than to force/propel the winner an undisputed match with Marshall.
This is apparent by the way in which the WBA has completely neglected to arrange a WBA interim fight between two female super middleweights in the past at any point in time. Under normal circumstances, the WBA would have chosen other contenders to vie over the interim title, but as has been previously mentioned by us, the women’s super middleweight division appears to lack a lot of talent which relatively justifies the WBA’s decision.
The co-main event between Shadasia Green (13-1, 11 KO’s) and Franchon Crews-Dezurn (9-2, 2 KO’s) was not entertaining due to the frequent clinching and brawling that Crews initiated, which proved to be the right gameplan for Crews given she stifled Green’s offense during their bout.
Green was unable to find a constant rhythm due to frequent holding, and her attacks appeared much less effective than they could have been with most of them thrown to keep Crews off her, who relentlessly pressured her. While Green did show herself to be a more efficient puncher during the full ten rounds, Crews’ tactics heavily exposed Green’s own shortcomings in executing a proper strategy as she was forced to adapt to Crews’ many clinches and pressure.
As evident by the scorecards, Green did not adapt well and lost the match by unanimous decision. Crews received scores of 98-2 and 97-93 twice to win the match easily. However, while she tactically performed well, she did not grade well herself when it came to efficiency.
Fortunately for Crews, her relentlessness, determination, and understanding of her own capabilities and style helped her secure a surprising victory after she lost previously to Savannah Marshall on July 1st this year. She has earned the distinction of being the WBC super middleweight champion once more and seems set to face Marshall again in 2024.
The main-eventing cruiserweight match between Jake Paul and Andre August was short-lived as Paul knocked out August in just the first round with a glancing uppercut. August, who last fought in August this year, had been out of the ring for roughly four years prior.
Paul’s victory does not yet rank him as even a fringe contender but he seems capable of landing an actual title shot depending on the opponents he picks in his next three or four fights.
