Claressa Shields ringwalk includes Rick Ross rapping and marching band
Claressa Shields’ ringwalk for Lani Daniels fight on July 26, 2025 included Rick Ross rapping and a marching band at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
Boxing promoter Dmitriy Salita aims to revitalize Detroit’s boxing scene, hoping to host one major fight per month.An upcoming heavyweight bout between Brandon Moore and DeAndre Savage will take place at the Fox Theatre on Sept. 19.
Until Claressa Shields rose to become the biggest name in women’s boxing, promoter Dmitriy Salita doesn’t remember many recent big boxing events in the Detroit area.
“There was really nothing going on for a long time,” he said. “Mike Tyson fought in the (2000s), but it was very inconsistent.”
The fight he’s referring to, Tyson vs Andrew Golota at The Palace at Auburn Hills on Oct. 20, 2000, was the last big fight Detroit had seen for a long while, according to Salita.
He wants to change that.
Salita, the former pro boxer and head of Salita Promotions, is bringing his next fight to the city, with USBA heavyweight champion Brandon Moore (18-1, 10 KOs) facing off against undefeated Michigan native DeAndre Savage (10-0, 10 KOs) at the Fox Theatre in Detroit on Friday, Sept. 19.
That might be an unconventional location for a big-time boxing match (the only fight previously held at the theater was Acelino Freitas vs. Lemuel Nelson on June 10, 2000), but for Salita, the Fox is a perfect fit,
“Detroit has been a meeting point, an intersection of music and sports and culture for a long time,” he said. “(There’s) such an important and significant historic component to it. The fight being held at the Fox Theatre really elevates the event to the next level.”
Despite being born in the former Soviet Union and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Salita has a strong understanding of Detroit’s boxing history. He trained under SugarHill Steward, nephew of Detroit boxing legend Emanuel Steward, at the legendary Kronk Gym, and is now based in the Detroit metro area full-time.
His goal? He wants at least one big-time fight in Detroit per month.
That’s a tall order, but the big Detroit fights are trending in that direction. Shields has fought at Little Caesars Arena three times in the last three years, beating Maricela Cornejo on June 3, 2023 to retain her middleweight title, beating Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse on July 27, 2024 to win the heavyweight title and beating Lani Daniels on July 26 to retain her heavyweight title.
“The momentum is there, and the fans have obviously shown support and interest in the sport of boxing,” he said. “It’s a great sports city and this is the time to bring back championship boxing.”
The next event features Savage, a native of Flint, facing off against the USBA heavyweight champ. It’ll be one of Savage’s biggest challenges in his short career, but he thinks he can go punch-for-punch with Moore.
“I know Brandon from the Olympic trials, and I respect what he’s done, but I’ve been in camps with top 10 and top 15 heavyweights — Luis Ortiz, Joseph Parker and others — so I know my skills and I’m confident in myself,” said Savage in a press release.
“I haven’t fought anyone in the pros with his caliber yet, but that changes on Sept. 19. I’m coming in at about 280 pounds — that’s real horsepower — and I plan on using every bit of it to get the job done.”
The event will be broadcasted on DAZN, bringing more eyes to the Motor City as boxing transitions away from big-time promotion on cable services like HBO and toward streaming services like DAZN.
With the ascendence of fighters like Shields and the announced re-opening of Kronk Gym, boxing in Detroit is having a moment — even if it’s still fighting for attention in a crowded sports landscape.
“We’re committed to reestablishing boxing’s prominence in the city of Detroit. With its rich history of producing champions, the city has long been a cornerstone of the sport, and we’re excited to continue building on the momentum we began with Salita Promotions in 2023,” said Howard Handler, president of 313 Presents, who is helping bring the fight to the Fox.
Salita says events like these can help drum up more interest within the Detroit boxing community, giving young fighters an opportunity to watch local talent — and potentially dream of themselves fighting for titles in the city.
And above all, restore Detroit’s title as one of America’s boxing capitals.
“I really believe that Detroit can be a model of the rebirth of boxing to the United States of America.”
Editor’s note: A previous version of this article said that SugarHill Steward was the son of Emanuel Steward. He is actually Steward’s nephew.
You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.