Dmitriy Salita of Salita Promotions proudly announces the signing of Baltimore-based female super middleweight prospect and former amateur world standout Franchon Crews-Dezurn to a promotional contract.

Crews-Dezurn joins a Salita Promotions women’s boxing roster that includes superstar Claressa Shields, European star Christina Hammer, and Russian future champion Elena Savelyeva.

30-year-old Crews-Dezurn, 2-1, 1 KO as a professional, is a former highly decorated, elite amateur boxer. Among her many championships, she was an eight-time US Open National Champion, a four-time National Female Golden Gloves Champion, a four-time Pan Am Continental Champion, a two-time National PAL Champion, and a two-time US Olympic Team Alternate.

She also represented Team USA in numerous international competitions, ak nan 2011, Crews-Dezurn made history by becoming the first of three women in the United States to qualify and compete in the debut of women’s boxing at the Pan American Games.

Since stepping up on short notice and losing a decision in an exciting fight to women’s superstar and former amateur rival Claressa Shields in her pro debut in November 2016, Crews-Dezurn spent 2017 beating Louisiana-based contenders Latashia Burton (KI MOUN KI 1) in March and Sydney LeBlanc (UD 4) nan mwa Out.

She will make her debut fighting under the Salita Promotions banner against North Carolina’s Tiffany Woodard on Vandredi, Janvye 12, on the untelevised undercard of WBC/IBF World Champion Claressa Shields’ 168-pound title defense versus mandatory challenger Tori Nelson, viv sou chotim (10 p.m. AK/PT) soti nan Vire kazino la Stone Resort nan Verona, New York.

“I’m very excited and grateful for the opportunity to have such a great platform for me and for women’s boxing,” said Crews-Dezurn. “There’s a lot of excitement in the Super Middleweight and Middleweight divisions and I can’t wait to be right in the thick of it.”

Crews-Dezurn says she’ll be looking to rise in the rankings on her way to high-profile showdowns, including a possible rematch with Shields.

“I love what Dmitriy has done with Claressa and he just signed Christina Hammer. Mwen se yon avyon de gè. I’d like to fight a few six- and eight-rounders, build myself up inside and outside the ring through hard work. There are some great fights out there. Mwen eksite. There’s Claressa, Hammer, Cornejo, Nikki Adler, Tori Nelson. I want to fight for a world title before the end of the year, but my competitive side says let’s do it right now.”

Crews-Dezurn trains at the Headbangers Boxing Gym in Washington, DC, under well-regarded trainer Barry Hunter, as well as Patrice “Boogie” Harris, Jamie Harris and her husband Glenn Dezurn Jr.

“I’ve been training there for the last three years. The whole team is amazing. You’re in there with world champs and title contenders. The level of intensity is always very high. And it’s a family atmosphere I love it there.”

“Women’s boxing is suddenly flooded with great talent and Franchon, as a pioneering woman of the modern boxing age, deserves to be part of that group,” said Dmitriy Salita. “I’m happy to have reached an agreement with her. With her tremendous skill and marketable personality, Franchon has the potential to become another women’s superstar in a golden age for the sport.”

Epitou tap sou la Janvye 12 difuze, Ouzbekistan pouvwa-pwensonaj Shakh Ergashev (11-0, 11 Ko) ap fè fas a parèy undefeated ak tèt-10 klase Sonny Fredrickson (18-0, 12 Ko) nan Toledo, Ohio. Nan ko-karakteristik nan, Izayi Hernandez (10-1, 7 Ko) ap pran sou Ernesto Garza (9-2, 5 Ko; 1-3 WSB) nan yon 10-wonn super bantamweight bout.