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Franchon Crews-Dezurn was prepared to make the most of an undesirable situation.
Somehow, that situation has become even worse.
Days after Crews-Dezurn received short notice confirmation of her undisputed super middleweight championship clash with Sweden’s Elin Cederroos, both boxers were informed that the fight is once again delayed. The two were due to meet in the chief support of the September 14 TrillerVerz card from Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. However, Cederroos is unable to make the trip due to unforeseen visa issues according to representatives from Golden Boy Promotions, Crews-Dezurn’s promoter.
The rest of the show will proceed as planned, including another rescheduled bout with Puerto Rico’s Danielito Zorrilla (15-0, 11KOs) and Mexico’s Pablo Cesar Cano (33-7-1, 23KOs) still set to headline the bill. Golden Boy confirmed to BoxingScene.com that Cano’s previous visa issues—which postponed their planned August 14 clash—were since resolved.
Less fortunate news came of the latest effort to crown the first undisputed super middleweight champion—male or female—in the four-belt era.
“I’m still in Sweden,” Cederroos confirmed Saturday morning. “The fight is canceled. I hope I get better news soon.”
Baltimore’s Crews-Dezurn (7-1, 2KOs) was set to put her WBC/WBO titles on the line versus Cederroos (8-0, 4KOs, who holds the WBA/IBF belts. The two were previously due to collide June 19 in the chief support of a Triller Fight Club Pay-Per-View card topped by lineal/WBA/IBF/WBO lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez (16-0, 12KOs) versus IBF mandatory challenger George Kambosos Jr. (19-0, 10KOs). The entire show was canceled once Lopez came up positive for Covid-19, with news of his ailment being made available to the public at the start of fight week.
Upwards of two dozen boxers scheduled to appear on the show missed out on a payday as the result, a fact not at all lost on Crews-Dezurn who continues to fight for her place at the table.
“I really wished it would’ve went down on 6/19 but Teo’s irresponsible a** worried about everything but staying out the way and f*cking fighting,” Crews-Dezurn commented upon learning the news of the latest postponement.
News of the rescheduled bout was made official just this past Wednesday, with Crews-Dezurn informed on August 19 that the fight was potentially back in play. The multi-talented 34-year-old—who is also a commentator and designer among her many other talents—was set to make the second defense of her unified title reign and third overall defense of at least one belt dating back to her September 2018 win over Maricela Cornejo.
Crews-Dezurn was briefly robbed of her titles in a split decision defeat to Mexico’s Alejandra Jimenez last January. The verdict was overturned after Jimenez tested positive for the banned substance stanozolol. The WBO—based in San Juan, Puerto Rico—reinstated Crews-Dezurn as its super middleweight champion following a month-long investigation, while the Mexico City-headquartered WBC was much slower in its process before finally stripping Jimenez last June, nearly five months after the bout.
The process was par for the course for Crews-Dezurn, who has grown accustomed to being slighted by the sport.
“Especially me being a black woman in a male-dominated sport, you’re not going to get the same opportunities as the guys,” Crews-Dezurn explained to BoxingScene.com.” They can cancel their undisputed fight and be like, ‘Oh, whatever.’ For me, this is how I put food on the table. This is how I eat, These are once in a lifetime to join at one-percent. When I want something, I go for it.
“I promote myself and have always done that. I always bet on myself.”
Even on short notice, both boxers were prepared to give everything they had on Tuesday. Instead, they will have to remain on standby until a new date is made for their fight.
“My time will come. What’s meant for me is for me,” notes Crews-Dezurn. “I just don’t like my time, character, career and life played with.
“I was professional as was Cederroos. Once again, [we get] the sh*t end of the stick.”
The next future date on the Triller calendar is its October 4 PPV show, which—fittingly—is topped by the rescheduled Lopez-Kambosos lightweight championship bout. The undercard has yet to be announced. It remains unclear if the undisputed super middleweight championship between Crews-Dezurn and Cederroos will be added to the show. Triller reps were not in a position to comment as it remains a fluid situation as this goes to publish.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox