“Great fighter. We’ll have to watch him closely,” Valcarcel told X.

Chaves already holds the WBO Latino lightweight title and entered the fight No. 3 by the sanctioning body. Public praise after such a performance only improves his standing.

Promoter Eddie Hearn was later equally enthusiastic and said the performance confirmed what he had heard about Chaves.

“I thought he was brilliant, amazing. A lot of people told me a lot about him,” Hearn told the media about Chaves. “He’s never fought outside of Argentina, so you never really know if all the hype is true. What we saw tonight is a powerful boxer, but also an smart fighter. He’s someone with a good IQ. Yes, speed and brains. He placed the shot perfectly.”

Madueno had the opportunity to fight established opponents and was seen as a solid test for a fighter making his U.S. debut. Instead, Chaves ended things early with one pristine left hand, which changed the tone of the night.

“He’s a very tough guy and Chaves destroyed him. I think he’s going to be a huge, huge star,” Hearn said.

Taking second place in the WBO rankings may prove more valuable to Chaves than any public call. If Shakur Stevenson moves completely to 140 pounds, a WBO lightweight title fight could open up quickly, putting Chaves on track.

He doesn’t need names like Stevenson or Gervonta Davis to agree to a fight if he continues to win and protect his ranking. Sanctioning bodies regularly move challengers to eliminators or vacant title fights when champions leave divisions or go in another direction.

The lightweight division is crowded, but perhaps Chaves won’t have to chase anyone down. If he stays busy, a title tour could come his way.

Lennox Lewis surrendered on his own terms shortly after defeating Vitali Klitschko, but he still found it extremely arduous to hang up his gloves.

Before retiring, Lewis had firmly established himself as the all-time heavyweight champion, especially after he overtook Evander Holyfield for the undisputed crown in 1999.

Then “The Lion” would do it lost to Hasim Rahman in a shocker in 2001, then took revenge for the defeat by reaching the fourth round in the same year.

At this point he had beaten every fighter in the opposite corner, and he only continued this pattern after securing an eighth-round berth over Mike Tyson in 2002.

But instead of sailing off into the sunset, Lewis was convinced by his legendary trainer Emanuel Steward to fight Klitschko in 2003.

I’m talking to Heavenly sportsLewis said it was simply an opportunity to further cement his legacy by fighting the previous and potentially future heavyweight champion. He admitted that the performance was not pretty, but assured that he did his job.

“My coach Emanuel said, ‘Listen, you can beat the present and the future in this fight,’ and I said, ‘Well, I’ll take it.’ It wasn’t a pretty fight, but I still won.”

Indeed, it was a close fight between Lewis and Klitschko, who was ultimately stopped in the sixth round after suffering significant facial injuries.

However, Klitschko won the vacant WBC belt shortly thereafter and remained undefeated (defending the title 11 times) before retiring in 2012.

Meanwhile, Lewis was tempted to return several times, but was keenly aware of the focus and discipline he needed to compete at the highest level.

“There were many times I felt like jumping back into the ring, but stay focused [and] discipline kept me at bay.

“Let me tell you, it was difficult. I wanted to retire and say I wasn’t coming back and it was difficult to stay out of the ring. HBO gave me a job as a commentator and I was back there in front of boxing and trying to get away from boxing.

“I said I’ve done everything, I don’t have to prove anything anymore. So I stayed away from boxing.”

After retiring, Lewis became a widely respected pundit, analyst and commentator, largely due to his deep understanding of the sport.

“He’s a great fighter. He has everything,” Sulaiman told Ring Champs. “He has all-time potential. He’s a great fighter.”

Sulaiman said Stevenson’s skills have already been proven in multiple leagues, adding that the latest move has only strengthened his standing in the sport.

The comments came when Sulaiman was asked whether Stevenson could finally become boxing’s top pound-for-pound fighter. His answer was direct.

“I think so,” Sulaiman said. “He looks very good and sturdy in this weight class.”

Stevenson’s rise also became a major topic of conversation after the Teofimo fight. Sulaiman said the up-to-date division seemed to suit him physically.

At 28 years elderly, Stevenson is currently at the point in his career where accolades become expectations. Talent alone no longer divides him. The question is whether his upcoming fights match the level people currently see in him.

All the while, Sugar Ray Robinson was moving up from welterweight to middleweight and fighting the toughest monsters of his era without asking them to suck him parched. When you request a hydration clause, as Shakur did with Conor Benn at welterweight, you are essentially saying that you want your opponent to be at his weakest while you are at his best.

Sugar Ray Robinson didn’t ask for a “rehydration clause” during his fight with Jake LaMotta. He just went out and fought a much bigger, stronger man. If Shakur wants to be mentioned in the same breath, he must finally fight a fight in which he will not be the one dictated by physical disabilities.

Robinson didn’t ask for a “rehydration clause” in his fight with Jake LaMotta. He just went out and fought a much bigger, stronger man. If Shakur wants to be mentioned in the same breath, he must finally fight a fight in which he will not be the one dictated by physical disabilities.