For the first time in 539 days, unified WBA and WBC super middleweight champion Franchon Crews-Dezurn will step back into the squared circle on Friday when she defends her titles against Citlalli Ortiz at Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York, as part of International Boxing Hall of Fame Induction Weekend.

Timing is everything in boxing, and Crews-Dezurn’s return couldn’t have come at a better time as she looks to become a two-time undisputed super middleweight champion. First, though, she knows she must handle business against Ortiz, a decorated amateur and 2024 Olympian for Mexico, on Friday.

“It’s amazing because it’s given me something to strive for,” Crews-Dezurn told The Ring about fighting at Induction Weekend. “It’s going to be top bill. Everybody is coming to support and watch legends be inducted and they get to watch a future legend in me.”

The WBC will have a commemorative Juneteenth Freedom Belt on the line for the winner of Crews-Dezurn vs Ortiz. The fight will be the first for Crews-Dezurn (9-2, 2 KOs) under Salita Promotions' stable of female boxers.

Salita also promotes three-time undisputed and two-time Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields, who holds all of the belts at heavyweight. Crews-Dezurn joins a group that also signed top-10 middleweights Olivia Curry (7-2, 2 KOs) and Kaye Scott (4-1) earlier this week.

The last time Crews-Dezurn, 37, fought, she became the first woman to defeat Shadasia Green, winning by unanimous decision on Dec. 15, 2023, to become the WBC and interim WBA super middleweight champion. On March 25, 2024, Crews-Dezurn was elevated to full WBA champion while current IBF champion Savannah Marshall was recovering from a hand injury, which led to her being stripped by the WBO and being named the WBC’s champion in recess.

Crews-Dezurn’s win over Green was followed by a lengthy hiatus before joining Salita and landing a fight vs Ortiz (4-1, 1 KO). She credited the long layoff to the difficulty landing an opponent and being viewed as "high-risk, low-reward."

Still, Crews-Dezurn believes the nearly 18 months outside of the ring will pay dividends in all facets.

“I looked at it as an opportunity to recover my body, recover my mind and really touch my soul,” she said. “This is what I want. I’ve had a good camp, things are clicking, I feel great and I know how to win and that’s what I plan to do.”

Crews-Dezurn first became the undisputed super middleweight champion with a unanimous decision win over Elin Cederroos at Madison Square Garden on April 30, 2022. Her reign ended just more than one year later in her first title defense with a majority decision loss to Marshall.

Crews-Dezurn’s path toward having a chance to win all of the belts at 168 pounds for a second time will be made clearer with Green (15-1, 11 KOs), the WBO super middleweight champion, and Marshall (13-1, 10 KOs) set to fight in a unification bout on July 11 at Madison Square Garden on the undercard of Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano 3 on Netflix.

Between Green and Marshall, it’s clear to Crews-Dezurn who would rather step in the ring with her with all four titles on the line.

“Shadasia, she don’t say my name, but Savannah, she told me she wanted me front row,” Crews-Dezurn said. “When 'The Silent Assassin' said she wants big mama front row, of course I’m going to come and then I’m going to support the card because I am a strong advocate for women’s boxing and I want to support the women.”

In Ortiz, 25, Crews-Dezurn knows she’s in tough given the former’s amateur and Olympic pedigree. But with an opportunity to become a two-time undisputed champion within grasp, she hasn’t let anything get in the way of her preparation for Friday night.

“I’m not doing anything at all these days to play,” Crews-Dezurn said. “I’m coming to fight. I’m coming to get my bag and I’m coming to show why I’m ‘The Heavy Hitting Diva.’”

“She’s in my way of what I want to achieve. I know I have the tools to beat her. That’s what I plan to do and I’m focused on my mission.”