(September 19th) Former world champion Maureen Shea returns to the ring October 24 as Nothing But Sportz presents a South Florida boxing event brought to you by Ronald Johnson’s American Dream Presents.

Maureen “The Real Million Dollar Baby” Shea is set to return to the ring on Saturday, October 24, 2026, when Nothing But Sportz presents THE SOCIAL FIGHT NIGHT at the Sport of Kings at Gulfstream Park & Casino in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Brought to you by Ronald Johnson’s American Dream Presents, the event will feature the former two-time world champion as its headline attraction as she continues her pursuit of another world championship. The event is being promoted as another chapter in Shea’s professional boxing career, rather than a farewell appearance.

Shea’s return brings a veteran championship résumé to an event built around multiple generations of boxing talent, emerging fighters and personalities with audiences extending beyond the traditional fight community. The Bronx-born boxer has competed professionally since 2005 and has built a career that includes world-title victories, championship defenses, international competition and a memorable connection to one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed boxing films. According to the BoxRec record supplied for this event, Shea’s professional record stands at 32 wins, 3 losses and 1 draw, including 13 victories by knockout, in 37 professional bouts. Her most recent completed contest was a unanimous-decision victory in February 2025.

Shea’s accomplishments inside the ring extend well beyond her famous nickname. In December 2011, she defeated Colombia’s Diana Ayala by unanimous decision over 10 rounds in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, to capture the WBC interim female featherweight championship. The victory marked a significant milestone in a career that had already taken her into major championship competition and established her as a prominent figure in women’s professional boxing.

In March 2014, Shea added the NABA featherweight championship to her résumé by defeating Nohime Dennisson by unanimous decision in Oxnard, California. Later that year, she moved into the super-bantamweight division and captured the IFBA junior featherweight world championship with a fourth-round technical knockout against Angel Gladney on July 11, 2014. The victory made Shea a champion in another weight division and further established her standing among the accomplished fighters of her generation.

Shea subsequently defended her IFBA championship against Mexico’s Yulihan Luna Avila on August 29, 2015. The 10-round contest ended in a draw, allowing Shea to retain the title. The bout took place as the co-feature to the Shane Mosley–Ricardo Mayorga main event and was carried on pay-per-view, adding another notable appearance to Shea’s career. She has also competed for a world championship at Madison Square Garden, challenging Kina Malpartida for the WBA female super-featherweight title in February 2009.

Over the course of her career, Shea has competed on major boxing platforms and at prominent venues, including Madison Square Garden. Her professional journey has included championship fights, televised appearances and international competition. She has also remained involved in boxing outside of competition, including work as a commentator and analyst, allowing her to contribute to the sport in multiple roles.

The nickname “The Real Million Dollar Baby” originated from Shea’s involvement in the preparation of actress Hilary Swank for Clint Eastwood’s Academy Award-winning film Million Dollar Baby. Before the film’s 2004 release, Swank trained at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn for her role as fictional boxer Maggie Fitzgerald. Shea worked with Swank as a principal sparring partner during the actress’s preparation for the physically demanding role.

The association brought Shea considerable attention, but her own professional accomplishments ultimately established her identity in the sport. The nickname became part of her public profile, while her championship victories and years of competition gave it a meaning beyond the movie connection. Today, Shea is recognized both for her contribution to the preparation of one of boxing’s most recognizable cinematic performances and for the championship career she built in her own right.

Shea’s most recent professional appearance came on February 22, 2025, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, where she faced Hungary’s Sara Orszagi in an eight-round contest.

Shea returned to the win column with a unanimous decision victory, dominating all three official scorecards. Judges Daniel Fitzgerald, Toby Tamarkin and Michael Tate each scored the bout 80-72 for Shea, while Samuel Burgos served as referee. The victory brought Shea’s professional record to 32-3-1, with 13 knockouts.

Before that victory, Shea faced Perla Lomeli on August 23, 2024, also at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The six-round contest ended in a split-decision loss for Shea, with the official scorecards reading 59-55 for Lomeli and 58-56 for Shea on each of the other two cards. Samuel Burgos again served as referee.

The Lomeli bout marked Shea’s return to professional competition following an extended period away from the ring. She answered that setback with the unanimous-decision victory over Orszagi, making her most recent completed fight a win.

Now, more than a year after that victory, Shea is preparing for her return to competition in South Florida, where she will once again step into the spotlight with another world-title opportunity in her sights.

While Shea’s championship history and return to competition will headline the evening, THE SOCIAL FIGHT NIGHT is scheduled to feature a diverse supporting lineup. The announced card includes established professionals, emerging prospects, South Florida fighters, second-generation boxing talent and personalities whose audiences extend beyond traditional boxing.

Scheduled to appear are Akeem Cheatham, Kenzell “Give Em Hell” Williams, Luis Hernandez, Eric Tudor, Chris “Slim Reaper” Biggs, Gavonne Bess, Giezwa Pierre Monarch Jr., Taylah Robertson, Abdulazeez Khaled Alamoodi and Daishaun Bundrage, the son of former world champion Cornelius “K9” Bundrage. Also scheduled to make his professional boxing debut is viral internet personality Emmanuel “Cujo” Valencia, who is expected to transition into professional boxing at the Hallandale Beach event.

The range of participants reflects the concept behind THE SOCIAL FIGHT NIGHT: bringing together different generations of fighters, new audiences and varied boxing stories under one event banner. Additional opponents, bout pairings and card details are expected to be announced by the organizers.

Ronald Johnson, President of American Dream Presents and Head of Boxing for Nothing But Sportz, said the event is intended to provide Shea with another opportunity to pursue her championship ambitions rather than serve as a retirement celebration.

“Maureen Shea represents exactly what this night is about. She was part of women’s boxing before the sport had the spotlight and opportunities it has today. This isn’t about bringing Maureen back for a farewell. She believes there’s another world championship in her, and I believe she deserves the opportunity to go after it. American Dream Presents has always been about creating opportunities and telling stories that matter, and on October 24, we get to help Maureen write another chapter of hers,” Johnson said.

Steven Marcano, CEO of Nothing But Sportz, likewise emphasized the importance of recognizing the fighters who helped establish women’s boxing while providing a platform for the next generation.

“Women’s boxing has shown the world that it belongs on the biggest stages in sports. Maureen Shea is part of the generation that helped make this moment possible. At Nothing But Sportz, we want to recognize the athletes who helped build the sport while also giving today’s fighters a platform to create what comes next. Maureen isn’t looking backward—she’s chasing another world title, and we’re proud to have her headline this event,” Marcano said.

THE SOCIAL FIGHT NIGHT is scheduled to take place at Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino, a major entertainment and gaming destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The event venue is identified as the Sport of Kings, a theater and event space located within the Gulfstream Park Clubhouse. Gulfstream Park’s facilities combine thoroughbred horse racing, casino gaming, dining, entertainment and special events, making the destination a fitting setting for an evening that seeks to connect boxing with a broad entertainment audience.

The October 24 event will bring professional boxing to the Gulfstream Park complex, where fans will be able to experience a card featuring a former world champion alongside established fighters, developing prospects and crossover personalities. Shea’s appearance also has a connection to the venue’s boxing history: BoxRec records her sixth-round technical-knockout victory over Martina Horgasz at Gulfstream Park in January 2020.

Tickets for THE SOCIAL FIGHT NIGHT are being promoted through EventCartel, the online event-ticketing platform. Fans interested in attending should check the promoter’s official event announcements and the EventCartel marketplace for the event’s dedicated ticket page, ticket prices, seating availability and purchasing instructions. As of this release, a specific, independently verified ticketing page for the October 24 boxing event was not available to confirm, and ticket prices and seating categories should be obtained directly from the event organizers before publication.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2026, at the Sport of Kings at Gulfstream Park & Casino in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Doors are scheduled to open at 6:00 p.m., with the first fight set for 7:00 p.m. The event is presented by Nothing But Sportz and brought to you by Ronald Johnson’s American Dream Presents. The Florida Athletic Commission is listed as the commission, Ronald Johnson is identified as the promoter, and Ron Rose is listed as the matchmaker in the supplied BoxRec event information.

For Maureen “The Real Million Dollar Baby” Shea, the evening represents another opportunity to continue a career defined by championship accomplishments, perseverance and an enduring place in boxing history. From her work with Hilary Swank on Million Dollar Baby to her own world-title victories, Shea has built a story that belongs to both Hollywood and the professional ring. On October 24, she returns to South Florida with another goal in sight: another world championship.

THE SOCIAL FIGHT NIGHT - Presented by Nothing But Sportz

Date: Saturday, October 24th, 2026

Venue: Sport of Kings at Gulfstream Park & Casino, Hallandale Beach, Florida

Promoter: Ronald Johnson, American Dream Presents

Matchmaker: Ron Rose

Doors Open: 6:00 p.m.

First Fight: 7:00 p.m.

To purchase tickets for THE SOCIAL FIGHT NIGHT just (click here).

Information on additional opponents, bout pairings, ticket details and event information are expected to be announced soon.

Gulfstream Park provides the setting - THE SOCIAL FIGHT NIGHT will take place at the Hallandale Beach entertainment destination 901 S. Federal Highway, Hallandale Beach, Florida 33009 that combines thoroughbred racing, casino gaming, dining and live entertainment. The Sport of Kings Theater is located on the second floor of the Gulfstream Park Clubhouse  and is designed for concerts, private events and other live entertainment productions. Gulfstream Park lists the venue as accommodating up to 1,000 guests in theater configuration, with 600 seated, while its event materials identify it as a 14,835-square-foot indoor venue