Undisputed Middleweight World Champion and Michigan’s own Claressa “GWOAT” Shields will make a homecoming return as she headlines the first boxing event in the history of Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Saturday, June 3 taking on four-division champion Hanna Gabriels in a rematch that will stream live on DAZN in the U.S. and Canada.

The only two-division undisputed champion in boxing history, Shields will continue to make history as she brings big-time boxing to the home of the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings. The Flint, Michigan-native first faced Gabriels in Shields’ sixth pro fight back in 2018, with Gabriels putting Shields on the canvas in round one with a vicious right uppercut-left hook combination. It remains the only time Shields has ever been knocked down as a professional or amateur and although she recovered to win an exciting unanimous decision, she will look for an emphatic ending to their rivalry on June 3.

“The ‘GWOAT’ is bringing championship boxing back to Detroit!” said Shields. “After my historic victory over Savannah Marshall in the U.K., I wanted a true homecoming fight in the U.S. I’m really excited to headline the first fight ever at Little Caesars Arena. Hanna Gabriels knocked me down in round one in our first fight and I’ve wanted the rematch ever since to settle that score. She’s a four-time world champ but she’s fighting the GWOAT, who’s a thirteen-time world champion and three-time undisputed champion. This is a big, important fight for me and will be another great fight for women’s boxing. I’m ready to defend my titles and win in dramatic fashion in Detroit!”

“I know that Claressa is looking for the right adversary to put on a Fight of the Year-type fight that Taylor vs. Serrano was, so I’ve done my homework since our last encounter five years ago and I’m a much more improved and dangerous fighter now,” said Gabriels. “Claressa and boxing fans can expect to see the best version of Hanna Gabriels come fight night. I knocked Claressa down in our first fight and I intend to do the same in our rematch. Only this time, she’ll stay down.”

“Claressa Shields is making history again by opening up professional boxing at the brand new world class Little Caesars Arena in the heart of Detroit,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “This is going to be a ‘HERstoric’ event in resurrecting the tradition of big-time championship events in Detroit, in an electric rematch against current light heavyweight and heavyweight world champion Hanna Gabriels. Tommy Hearns won his first world title at Joe Louis Arena in 1980 and now in 2023 Claressa will electrify fans watching the fight at the arena and live on DAZN in USA and Canada.”

“As Detroit’s premier live entertainment company, 313 Presents is excited to bring boxing to Little Caesars Arena in partnership with Salita Promotions,” said Howard Handler, President of 313 Presents. “Detroit’s boxing scene has a rich history that has produced and embraced numerous champions, from Joe Louis to Sugar Ray Robinson to Tommy Hearns to Hilmer Kenty and now Claressa Shields. June 3 will be a historic night for us and we’re thrilled to provide an action-packed night of boxing back in Detroit.”

“We are thrilled to have Claressa back on DAZN,” said Joe Markowski, CEO North America DAZN. “This homecoming fight for Claressa is highly anticipated by DAZN subscribers in the US and Canada. We can’t wait to have another massive women’s fight on the platform after making history with Taylor vs. Serrano last year. Tune in live to DAZN June 3rd for this very special event.”

A two-time Olympic gold medalist throughout her storied amateur career, the 28-year-old Shields (13-0, 2 KOs) avenged her only amateur defeat last October when she traveled to the U.K. to win the WBO Middleweight Title from Savannah Marshall via unanimous decision. Shields’ last fight in her home state of Michigan came in March 2021 as she bested Marie Eve Dicaire to become undisputed super welterweight world champion, her second undisputed distinction after originally unifying all the middleweight titles with a 2019 victory over then unbeaten Christina Hammer.

Representing her native Alajuela, Costa Rica, and promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Gabriels (21-2-1, 12 KOs) first became a world champion at welterweight in 2009, before capturing the super welterweight championship in 2010. She would go on to unify 154-pound titles with a TKO over Katia Alvarino in 2016 and followed up her 2018 loss to Shields with two successful 154-pound title defenses in 2019. Most recently, Gabriels captured both the WBA Light Heavyweight and WBC Heavyweight world championships with a second-round stoppage of Martha Lara Gaytan in April 2021.

Flint’s undefeated rising 154-pound contender Ardreal Holmes Jr. will face once-beaten New Yorker Wendy Toussaint on Saturday, June 3 in a 10-round battle for the USBA Super Welterweight title that will serve as the co-featured bout in support of the Claressa Shields vs. Hanna Gabriels main event rematch.

The event marks the return of big-time boxing to Detroit live from Little Caesars Arena and streaming on DAZN in the U.S. and Canada. The action will also include Grand Rapids, Michigan’s undefeated Joseph Hicks taking on Atlanta-based Antonio Todd over eight rounds for the WBC Americas Silver Middleweight Championship.

The 28-year-old Holmes Jr. (13-0, 5 KOs), known in the ring as “Bossman,” is a 6’ 2” southpaw and 2016 U.S. Olympic alternate coming off a pair of impressive professional victories. In March of last year, he scored a nationally televised unanimous decision over Chicago’s once-beaten Vernon Brown (then 13-1) and followed it up with a nationally televised split-decision over then undefeated New Yorker Ismael Villarreal (then 12-0) in February of this year.

Originally from Haiti, Huntington, New York’s Toussaint (14-1, 6 KOs), known in the ring as “Haitian Fire,” stands 5′ 10½″. The 31-year-old has served as one of the main sparring partners for former WBO World Light Heavyweight Champion, Joe Smith Jr. and was last seen scoring a near-shutout unanimous decision over then 15-4-1 Asinia Byfield in June of last year.

The 29-year-old Hicks (6-0, 5 KOs) started boxing at 19 and became a standout amateur before entering the pro ranks. He was set to captain the U.S. Olympic Team at the 2020 summer games, before the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the proceedings. By the time the games were back on, the IOC’s formula for picking fighters in his weight class left him on the outside looking in. Undeterred, Hicks has shined as a pro, including already scoring two wins this year with triumphs over Bilal Quintyne in February and Noah Kidd in April.

Four of Michigan’s top prospects will highlight undercard action as big-time boxing returns to Detroit on Saturday, June 3.

The lineup will see Dearborn’s Da’Velle Smith take on fellow unbeaten Kahydlian Woods in a six-round middleweight showdown, Grand Rapids’ Joshua Pagan battling the undefeated Ronnell Burnett in a six-round super lightweight attraction, Grand Rapids’ Joseph Hicks Jr. in an eight-round middleweight bout, and Dearborn’s Gheith Karim in a cross-town matchup against Detroit’s Marlon Harrington scheduled for eight rounds in the super welterweight division.

“Saturday, June 3 will be a night to remember from the opening bell, all the way until the world championship main event,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “The card will feature local talent with world class potential fighting in their most significant fights live on DAZN from Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit.  Detroit legends like Tommy Hearns and Hilmer Kenty will be looking on at ringside as these contenders will be fighting their most challenging opponents and hoping to prove that they are next in line to continue the elite pedigree of this legendary boxing city.”

The 22-year-old Smith (5-0, 4 KOs) made his pro debut in September 2021, winning the WBC’s inaugural Big Belt Championship by knocking out Ricky Evans in the first round. Smith would follow that triumph with a pair of knockouts in November 2021 and May 2022, before winning a unanimous decision over Devontae McDonald last August. The Kronk Gym-trained prospect most recently stopped Gyorgy Mizsei in February. He will be opposed by the 27-year-old Woods (4-0, 3 KOs). Originally from California and now fighting out of Indianapolis, Woods turned pro last year and scored three-straight knockouts before a split-decision triumph over then unbeaten Ezekiel Scruggs in February.

Pagan (5-0, 2 KOs) won the 2021 U.S. Amateur Welterweight National Championship with a unanimous decision over Keon Davis, completing a big step on his boxing journey that began as a teenager with his father and trainer Tony. The 23-year-old followed that up by turning pro in January 2022 and earning four victories that year. Most recently, Pagan won back-to-back decisions in Detroit to kick off 2023 as he bested Istvan Bela Orban in February and Wesley Rivers in April. He faces Kansas City, Missouri’s Burnett (9-0, 5 KOs), a 32-year-old who has fought professionally since 2017. Burnett earned three wins in 2022, including knockouts of Lantz Nave and dan Abram.

The 29-year-old Hicks (6-0, 5 KOs) started boxing at 19 and became a standout amateur before entering the pro rank. He was set to captain the U.S. Olympic Team at the 2020 summer games, before the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the proceedings. By the time the games were back on, the IOC’s formula for picking fighters in his weight class left him on the outside looking in. Undeterred, Hicks has shined as a pro, including already scoring two wins this year with triumphs over Bilal Quintyne in February and Noah Kidd in April.

Originally from Iraq and now residing in Dearborn, Michigan, Karim (9-0, 3 KOs) is trained by Jonathan Banks out of the world-renowned Kronk Gym in Detroit. The 25-year-old returned from a nearly three-year layoff last June and has won three-straight fights since then, most recently besting Ramses Agaton in March. He takes on Detroit’s own Harrington (8-1, 7 KOs), who trains in the same city as Karim, at Detroit’s World’s Best Boxing Gym. Harrington will be returning to the ring following his first career defeat, which came via decision against Marquis Taylor last October.