Claressa Shields-Danielle Perkins set for February 2

Four-division world champion Claressa Shields will defend her unified WBC and WBO heavyweight titles and fight for the vacant WBA heavyweight belt against Danielle Perkins on February 2.

The fight will take place at the Dort Financial Center in Shields’ hometown of Flint, Michigan, and air live on DAZN.

Shields holds a record of 15-0 (3 KOs) and claimed her 175lbs titles in July with a destructive second-round knockout win over Vanessa Lepage Joanisse. (In women’s boxing, some sanctioning bodies regard 175lbs fights as “heavyweight.”) Shields, 29, is also the reigning unified middleweight champion.

“My home in Flint helped make me the person I am today,” said Shields. “That city, with all its struggles and strengths, built something in me that can’t be broken.”

On her opponent, Shields added, “Danielle Perkins is undefeated and a strong contender, but I’ve been fighting my whole life, not just in the ring. Whether it was in my personal life, in the amateur boxing ring, or as a professional world champion, I simply do not fail. February 2 will be no different.”

“Claressa Shields has been breaking glass ceilings for her whole career,” said Dmitriy Salita, president of Salita Promotions, which represents Shields. “She was the first American boxer to win two Olympic gold medals. She was the first woman to headline an event on premium television. She is the only two-division undisputed women’s world champion, and she has the chance to make history yet again unifying the women’s heavyweight division on this special Sunday event.”

Perkins, who holds a record of 5-0 (2 KOs), is a Brooklyn, New York, native and former collegiate basketball standout. She transitioned to boxing after recovering from a life-altering car accident.

Perkins won a unanimous decision over Christianne Fahey on the undercard of the Shields-Joanisse bout in July. She is 42 years old, almost unfailingly an age at which boxers are well past their primes, and ended a three-year layoff in March. Additionally, the Shields fight will be her first time in a fight scheduled for 10 rounds.

“I am more than excited to get in the ring with one of the best fighters in the world,” said Perkins. “I’m ready to showcase my skill set and claim more titles in Flint.”