Shadasia Green loses decision to Franchon Crews Dezurn in first title shot

Paterson’s Shadasia Green fell short in her first world title opportunity, dropping a unanimous decision to Franchon Crews Dezurn on Friday night at Caribe Royale in Orlando, Fla.

Two judges scored the bout 97-93 while the third had it 98-92, all for Crews Dezurn (9-2, 2 knockouts), who wins the vacant WBC super middleweight title.

The fight was the first world title opportunity for Green, 34, a former basketball star at Paterson’s Eastside High School who later went on to star at Old Dominion University. Green moved quickly as a boxer, making the U.S. national team as a heavyweight after just five fights, and earning silver at the 2016 AIBA Women’s Boxing World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Green (13-1, 11 KOs) had been on track to possibly challenge Claressa Shields, the biggest star in women’s boxing around those weights.