The common takeaway from any given interaction with Shadasia Green is that you’ve met one of the sweetest people on Earth.
The exception to that rule, however, is whenever the unbeaten super middleweight contender runs is met by a future or even potential rival.
“I don’t get it,” Green told BoxingScene.com, smiling as she considered the reasons. “I guess as you get closer to the top and there’s more at stake, tempers and tension seem to increase.
No exception has come from her upcoming vacant WBC super middleweight title fight versus former undisputed champion Franchon Crews-Dezurn—another noted fan favorite who still seems to land her fair share of heated rivals. They will meet this Friday on DAZN from Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida in a fight that was twice ordered by the WBC.
“Franchon is a significant piece to that puzzle,” stated Green, who has spent most of 2023 as the WBC mandatory contender. “This is the second time around we’ve been matched to her (by the WBC) and she overlooked me the first time.
“I respect Franchon, all she’s done with women’s boxing and her credentials. I guess, being a veteran of press conferences and all that, she saw an opportunity to try to get under my skin. But the fight is not won at press conferences. It’s won in the ring.”
Emotions ran high when they came face-to-face at this very venue in late October. Both were on hand to formally announce their upcoming title fight on a night that saw Amanda Serrano defend her unified featherweight crown in a 12-round decision over Danila Ramos.
Green (13-0, 11KOs) was there both in support of Serrano—her longtime friend—and to send an early warning to Crews-Dezurn (8-2, 2KOs; 1NC) of what to expect when they bump this weekend. They didn’t disappoint during their initial in-ring stare down or even at Serrano’s post-fight press conference where they exchanged plenty of words.
Of course, it is a business and Green didn’t enter the sport to make any more friends.
“I’ve been working for this my whole life,” noted Green, who went the ten-round distance in her last fight after having knocked out her previous nine opponents. “This fight is happening only because of MVP (Most Valuable Promotions), because of Jake Paul and Nakisa [Bidarian, MVP co-founder].
“I was never her choice, she already bypassed me once when she chose to fight Savannah Marshall. I get it, it was a business decision. But now I’m the A-side, now the tables have turned.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. X (formerly Twitter): @JakeNDaBox