Whether or not it is justified or not in boxing’s arbitrary courtroom of public opinion, Shakur Stevenson enters the ultimate bout of his Prime Rank deal on Saturday with out the identical fanfare and hype he so lately held.
Stevenson (21-0, 10 KOs) returns to his hometown of Newark, New Jersey, to defend his WBC light-weight title towards Artem Harutyunyan (12-1, 7 KOs) contained in the Prudential Heart. However in case you are solely pretty much as good in boxing as your final efficiency, followers and specialists alike can not seem to forgive the gifted southpaw for the outcomes of his most up-to-date efficiency.
It isn’t sufficient that the 27-year-old Stevenson, who captured the silver medal on the 2016 Olympics, has received titles in three divisions whereas cementing himself among the many pound-for-pound finest within the sport. When Stevenson was propped up final November by Prime Rank and ESPN to headline an essential struggle card throughout the identical week as Components 1’s long-awaited debut on the Las Vegas strip, he did not ship on any of the expectations for pleasure or leisure.
Competing in a vacant title bout after former undisputed 135-pound champion Devin Haney moved up in weight, Stevenson entered with an undisclosed hand damage and proceeded to cautiously field circles across the hard-hitting Edwin De Los Santos in a masterclass that noticed him set a CompuBox divisional document for fewest punches landed by his opponent.
It was simply cripplingly boring to observe and the end result got here at a poor time for Stevenson, who had talked plenty of trash heading in about his plans to knock out De Los Santos whereas trying to set up himself on the identical stage because the big-name contemporaries in and round his weight division, together with the likes of Gervonta “Tank” Davis, Ryan Garcia, Haney, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez Jr.
“Boxing turned on me however, on the finish of the day, I am a one-man military so I ain’t tripping,” Stevenson instructed CBS Sports activities final week. “I am going to go towards the world and what will occur? They aren’t going to have the ability to cease me.”
Stevenson, who has been listed as astronomically excessive as a -3500 betting favourite, is predicted to mop up on Harutyunyan, a shifty defensive fighter who someway obtained this title shot regardless of coming straight off of a loss he suffered towards Frank Martin final July. It was a struggle, mockingly, the place the 33-year-old Harutyunyan, a local of Armenia who fights out of Germany, was closely criticized for avoiding exchanges, just like Stevenson.
“It is an ideal alternative. I had an ideal coaching camp, and I am properly ready. I am prepared for this struggle,” Harutyunyan stated on the ultimate press convention. “I do know Shakur Stevenson is an efficient fighter. He’s a world champion. We each fought on the Olympic video games. He’s a silver medalist, and I am a bronze medalist. Now we’re preventing for the world championship.”
But, there’s a lot at stake for Stevenson by way of the way forward for his profession that it is considerably simple to recommend he can be additional motivated to push the tempo and go for the end contemplating free company is true across the nook.
“Something is feasible,” Stevenson stated. “It is a enterprise, on the finish of the day. If enterprise is smart, [would I re-sign with Top Rank]? Sure. However I do know my price. If I’m re-signing with Prime Rank, my price can be on full show within the contracts.”
Though he is called extra of a slick and technical boxer, Stevenson has truly been far more offensive of late than his efficiency towards De Los Santos suggests. In reality, final April, Stevenson went out of his strategy to stroll down and end Shuichiro Yoshino after the Japanese fighter chastised his punching energy publicly. That efficiency got here straight after a pair of 130-pound title wins over Oscar Valdez and Robson Conceicao, each of which showcased every thing that makes Stevenson so nice.
So, the query turns into whether or not any of the criticism lobbed at Stevenson is warranted or whether or not folks had been simply overreacting about an injury-plagued unhealthy evening on the workplace?
“I believe it is undoubtedly unfair that I’ve such an unfair customary simply due to how good I’m,” Stevenson stated. “Individuals do not realize the way in which that they speak, they’re simply telling me how good I’m due to this unfair customary. I might look nice 4-5 occasions out however then you could have one off evening the place the usual is so excessive, folks assume that is who I’m. And on my off evening, I used to be preventing with only one hand.
“What do not break you make you stronger and I really feel like they’ve been serving to me up my sport and step up in coaching to work tougher. I admire all the unfavourable feedback. I admire all the individuals who doubt me and do not consider in me. I will wake all people up once I get my alternative.”
For the document, Stevenson guarantees to stroll down and “beat up” Harutyunyan in a showcase of why he is at a special stage. However it’s attention-grabbing to consider the thought of whether or not Stevenson not trying spectacular final day trip may truly assist him land huge fights transferring ahead.
Given Stevenson’s uncertainty as as to if he’ll re-sign with Prime Rank, the promotion seems extra suited to match Lomachenko with Davis fairly than Stevenson, which Corridor of Fame chairman Bob Arum has publicly said is his objective for the autumn. However Davis had beforehand not spoken about Stevenson a lot till his final struggle the place instantly all Group Davis can discuss is how keen they’re to struggle him and the way simple they count on the inevitable knockout to be.
The change in tone from Davis is one thing Stevenson has seen. However one factor he will not go so far as saying is that he is auditioning this weekend for a shot at leaping the queue within the “Tank” sweepstakes.
“Truthfully, no, I am not auditioning as a result of if I used to be auditioning, I might go in there and make the struggle actual onerous,” Stevenson stated. “I might make it the toughest struggle of my life and I do know for a proven fact that different folks would wish to struggle me. I am not auditioning for shit, I am simply going on the market to be myself and when the chance comes, I will be prepared. I am probably the greatest fighters on the planet and I actually consider in my expertise and who I’m as an individual. I am not auditioning, I am good.”
However if you happen to ask Stevenson which struggle, among the many many huge names doubtlessly out there to him, that he desires most, he did not hesitate to reply.
“It is ‘Tank,’ it is ‘Tank,'” Stevenson stated “That is the man who all people says might beat me. That is the man who everybody says I haven’t got an opportunity towards. It is ‘Tank.'”
The undercard options some prime prospects trying to construct their careers, presumably right into a future showdown with Stevenson. O’Shaquie Foster is ready to defend his WBC junior light-weight title towards veteran Robson Conecao within the co-feature. And Keyshawn Davis is ready for an additional function alternative towards Miquel Madueno.
“I could not do what I wished in that struggle [against Abraham Nova],” Foster stated this week. “I could not transfer my ft like I wished. However, no excuses. I will exit and present the world that I am ranges above this man.”
“I’ve had a protracted beginner profession, so I’ve seen his fashion a number of occasions. We had nice sparring companions that mimicked him. I’ve all the time been pleased with my protection, so we’ll determine it out after we get in there.”
Struggle card, odds
- Shakur Stevenson (c) -3500 vs. Artem Harutyunyan +1350, WBC light-weight title
- O’Shaquie Foster (c) -235 vs. Robson Conceição +190, WBC junior light-weight title
- Keyshawn Davis -2800 vs. Miguel Madueño +1200, lightweights
- Abdullah Mason -4000 vs. Luis Lebron +1450, lightweights
Viewing info
- Date: July 6 | Location: Prudential Heart — Newark, New Jersey
- Begin time: 8:30 p.m. ET
- How one can watch: ESPN
Prediction
When he is wholesome and dialed in, Stevenson is among the many hardest transferring targets in the whole sport to pin down and harm, not to mention look good towards. And the truth that he can function inside punching distance with out paying the value speaks to how next-level his potential really is.
From the standpoint of a possible upset, Harutyunyan is solely not on Stevenson’s stage. The query turns into will Stevenson make it a precedence to stroll him down and end him, whereas trying to restore his picture within the public eye.
Given his future as a free agent, there appears to be sufficient motivation for Stevenson to do exactly that.
Choose: Stevenson through TKO7
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