But the look of disbelief on her face as she began to make her way into the raucous Little Caesars Arena came from a different place.

At the weigh-in for Shields’ bout against Franchon Crews-Dezurn, things went off the rails. The night prior, tensions between the two longtime friends and in-ring rivals began to bubble, and hot water boiled over at the scales all the way into the arena lobby. Shoves were exchanged, the step-and-repeat was toppled, and a short, but ugly brawl ensued between the two teams and their supporters.

Crews-Dezurn claimed to have injured her ankle and knee after landing awkwardly falling off the stage, and the fight was thrown into jeopardy. Shields took the mic on the collapsed stage and told fans to “keep their tickets,” and dropped a nugget that she’d told her promoter Dmitriy Salita to “have a replacement ready,” which only sewed seeds of doubt about the fight continuing, at least as it was originally planned.

The online chatter continued as it became public that the fight was not 100% certain, with the longstanding friendship between Shields and Crews-Dezurn – something that had been on full display at press events just days prior – seemingly compromised to a permanent end. By late morning of fight day on Sunday, those involved with the event were finally assured that the fight would be happening.

As Shields emerged from the Detroit Pistons entrance tunnel, she looked around at the thousands of fans and momentarily broke from her typically fierce and bombastic entrance. All the hallmarks of Shields’ ring walk were there, the opening drums and chants of Jadakiss’ “The Champ Is Here,” the chorus of “Whoop That Trick” from Hustle and Flow sung triumphantly by her home crowd, and on this night, Boosie Badazz rapping “Set It Off” with a drumline on percussion. Before Shields could lock in for her ring walk, it was as if she needed a moment to consider the journey rather than the moment, the 10-year odyssey that took her – and Crews-Dezurn – from an off-PPV undercard to the main event in front of one of the best crowds in American boxing.

When Shields and Crews-Dezurn came to center ring for the instructions, they touched gloves meekly, but seemed to avoid looking at one another. Maybe they were still holding onto seething anger and couldn’t bring themselves to face one another. But maybe that anger began to dissipate as they reflected on their journeys together walking to the ring, and they didn’t want to let it go before having to fight. Anger is a far more useful tool in a boxing match than wistful nostalgia, after all.

Whichever emotions Shields and Crews-Dezurn brought with them past the opening bell, it was certain that they’d brought the best of themselves – and out of one another.

The opening moments of the bout looked nearly identical to those from their pro debuts against each other. Crews-Dezurn applying all-out pressure, throwing big overhand rights, Shields countering with machine-gun speed with her back against the ropes as she does so well. Unlike other Shields opponents, Crews-Dezurn didn’t have a level of hesitance in the early going. No woman alive is more familiar with what Shields is capable of in the ring than her, after three amateur fights, one pro fight and likely hundreds of sparring rounds. And the number of women on the planet with a set of accolades that might suggest they could hang with the GWOAT is a single-handed count that includes her. In Shields’ words, no woman or man had ever hit her as hard as Crews-Dezurn.

But the gulf between the two began to widen significantly by the fourth round, as Shields’ clever body work, timing and hand speed piled up rounds. True to her promise the day prior that she would be boxing on her toes with more regularity, Shields landed a career-high number of jabs on the night. In total, Shields outlanded Crews-Dezurn 226-106 according to CompuBox, with 175 of those shots being power punches, which were landed at a 50% clip.

The judges unanimously scored the bout 100-90.

After the decision was read announcing Shields as the winner and still heavyweight champion, DAZN cameras picked up an exchange between the two fighters. They embraced, and Shields told Crews-Dezurn “I respect the hell out of you,” to which the unified super middleweight champion responded, “I love you.”

In their respective post-fight interviews, the two seemed to let the fight week grudge go, blaming the hoopla on outside forces. Shields described how Crews-Dezurn had even once consoled her through what she described as “a panic attack” before her fight against Maricela Cornejo.

Leaving the ring, they seemed to be friends again, but Mikaela Mayer – perhaps Shields’ next and best available potential opponent and someone who has known both fighters for decades – speculated on DAZN commentary that despite the feel-good reunion, some things that were said and done couldn’t be fully erased.

And indeed, by Tuesday afternoon, things reignited on social media, with Crews-Dezurn replying to the aforementioned clip of her telling Shields that she loved her.

“My words was out of hurt and betrayal. We are not friends, they know what was done,” she said.

Soon, Shields replied, adding: “Smh. Franchon, Everything I said to you after the fight, I meant. I love you, I admire you & I wish you and your family well. And we don’t have to be friends. It’s ok. Thank you for all you’ve ever done for me. Bye.”

Some of the best friendships have to come to an end, but the best rivalries never can.