Boxing

Will free boxing fans ever love Shakur Stevenson?

Published

1 year ago

July 10, 2025

At the age of 28, on the eve of his greatest fight, Shakur Stevenson is not qualified as a child, according to appearance or any other measure. It doesn’t mean he is. But for a guy who has a seriously challenged challenge, and even more wounded-he gets an unusual source of consternation in the boxing industry. From here, eight years of his professional career Stevenson came to the conclusion: “What really comes down is the fact that accidental governing boxing sport. And these are not ordinary fans. You have ordinary promoters. You have free fighters. You have free opinions.”

Evidence? Consider Stevenson’s place on the card on Saturday at the Louis Armstrong stadium. The airy champion of WBC (this is the third weight class in which he now had titles), will be adapted to the “momentary” organization, William Zepeda (33-0, 27 KO). Zepeda is exactly such a strenuous, undefeated fighter fans have long slaughtered to make Stevenson fight. But their fight is only a co-mat. The main event is rather to Edgar Berlang – whose basic qualification seems to survive 12 senseless rounds in a unanimous defeat with Canelo Alvarez – and Hamzah Sheeraz, which is approaching 168 pounds after a disappointing draw with the title of medium weight Carlos Adames. Although there is no belt at the stake, Berlanga-Sheeraz is perceived as better garbage speakers and more likely that they provide a knockout. Despite this, no one – free or other – can argue that they are better, more talented fighters than Zepeda and Stevenson.

While Stevenson has barely lost since the transformation of his professionalism in 2017, the presumption against him – that it is not (read: brutal and charismatic) – only increased. Most of them result from his unanimous victory of the decision on Edwin de Los Santos for the WBC free belt almost two years ago. Ok, they cannot be jewels like a canelo-belanga. But it was terrible without adventures. Still, Stevenson has a different shot.

“When I come back and watch this fight,” he tells me, “I see greatness.”

Are you waiting for punchline? There aren’t. I watched Spar in a training camp for this fight, both when he only used his right side. He played it, saying that he was just working on his stab. His team refused any reason. And to my disappointment I bought it – until the fight. Stevenson performed an straightforward work on the allegedly strenuous hand de los Santos and did it with only one hand. A tear in the left middle knuck was turned, not to mention tears in the left shoulder. No excuses, only context.

“I see a warrior who entered 50 percent in relation to a very good warrior,” says Stevenson. “And I still did the work.”

While the night did not get him any fans, he lays a completely reasonable argument. Similarly, he neglects the responsibility of de los Santos in the equation. If de los Santos is so substantial and bad-I don’t say that he is not-how could he barely touch one fighter? He was also a veteran – 14 knockouts in 17 fights – with a prosperous amateur family. Why couldn’t he cut off the ring? Why didn’t he sell out?

Probably for the same reason that Gervont’s “Davis tank” of the Davis-Readala decision about a much smaller opponent, “says much more about retirement than Stevenson, who still persists in a semi-spacious dream, which one day will meet in the ring. They will not. In general, warriors do not mind beating. But they are stupid. Shakur Stevenson can make you look stupid.

– But you know what’s crazy? he asked, referring to the fight de los Santos. “The fans said it. Sometimes I moved” – nothing, it’s called boxing – “But not the whole fight. Edwin de los Santos had many opportunities to break me or hit the shots he was looking for. It just didn’t happen.”

Because de los Santos would not be – or could not – keep the end of the opportunity. I criticized Stevenson for throwing one blow at once, too cautious and focused on defense at the expense of the attack. But writing it as A is an ordinary misleading – just like the view that the size of the ring is a critical variable in these duels.

“I don’t care how substantial or compact the ring is,” says Zepeda through his trainer-Translator, Jay “Panda” Najar. “A good pressure fighter will find a way to cut the ring, and a good boxer will find a way to move and escape. It’s no secret that I throw a lot of blows and attack the body. I can’t change it. But I have to make a difference. IQ Shakur is simply amazing, but I am the one who has to do it. He is amazing Fiterm, but I am the one who must take him in the stock exchange.

The “B” page is scarce, which refers to each other in the first person. But it aims to accept the risk and responsibility that de los Santos (among others) no. Zepeda’s mind is about Zepeda. He understands that he must put wise pressure, that he cannot afford to frustrate or discourage, which he claims that he learned in his subsequent wins on Southpaw Tevin Farmer.

What’s more, Zepeda imagines the hero in his own epic. “It will be like a stony film,” he insists. “It will be a very complex, complex fight. But I can’t leave it to the judges. Not against Shakur in Modern York.”

Not to mention that Stevenson comes from Newark, Modern Jersey – or that he has his own great ambitions. Despite this, despite the whole conversation from Zepeda about Zepeda, I can’t resist thinking: where is his sensitive opponent?

“Pressure for him,” says Zepeda. “In the fight there will be a moment when he must stand there and fight me. We want to employ it.”

Explain.

“All people who say:” We want to see Shakur’s fight. We don’t want him to run away. ” He enters the internet and answers everyone, “says Zepeda.” This is the only weakness I see. “

He means cases.

Boxing

Heavyweight Shocks Again: Tyson Fury Left Bloodied and Knocked Out Cold

Published

8 hours ago

July 27, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"Heavyweight Shocks Again: Tyson Fury Left Bloodied and Knocked Out Cold"

Otto Wallin, the heavyweight who left Tyson Fury covered in blood and was later stopped by Anthony Joshua, suffered another crushing setback when Vladyslav Sirenko knocked him out cold in the final round of their Zuffa Boxing clash in New York.

Wallin was trailing on all three scorecards before Sirenko landed a devastating right hand followed by a left hook in the closing seconds of the tenth and final round.

The Swedish southpaw crashed to the canvas and remained down long enough for a stretcher to be brought into the ring, although he later sat up and responded to medical staff.

From Tyson Fury Scare To Another Knockout

Wallin’s career has become one of the heavyweight division’s biggest “what if” stories.

In 2019, he came within touching distance of ending Tyson Fury’s unbeaten record after opening a horrific cut above the Briton’s right eye that required 47 stitches. Many believed the contest could have been stopped before Fury battled through to win on points.

Speaking exclusively to World Boxing News three years later, Wallin insisted the fight would have been waved off had the roles been reversed.

“I think the cuts that he had were very bad. He had 47 stitches after the fight. If I had those cuts, the doctors would have stopped the fight, for sure,” Wallin told WBN.

Despite that disappointment, Wallin rebuilt his career by defeating current WBA heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev before earning high-profile clashes with Joshua and Derek Chisora.

His defeat to Joshua ended in a fifth-round stoppage. This latest loss to Sirenko marks the second knockout defeat of Wallin’s career and leaves the 35-year-old facing the toughest questions yet over his future.

Vladyslav Sirenko Scores Career-Best Win

For Sirenko, the victory represented the biggest win of his professional career.

The Ukrainian improved to 23-1 with 20 knockouts by stopping one of the heavyweight division’s most respected contenders after bouncing back from last year’s defeat to Solomon Dacres.

Wallin once looked destined for another world title opportunity after pushing Fury to the brink and defeating future WBA heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev.

Two knockout defeats later, that dream looks further away than ever.

About the Author

Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.

Read Phil Jay’s full bio and latest stories.

Boxing

Terence Crawford Declares One Current Fighter Unbeatable: He Will Take Over

Published

13 hours ago

July 27, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

Terence Crawford Declares One Current Fighter Unbeatable: "He Will Take Over"

Terence Crawford believes one man will follow in his footsteps and retire as an unbeaten world champion, essentially becoming a generational great in the process.

‘Bud’ became not only a world champion but a three-division undisputed king, ending his career with a legacy-defining unanimous decision triumph over Canelo Alvarez.

Even before that, Crawford was considered an elite pound-for-pound operator for over a decade, with many believing his most complete performance came against Errol Spence Jr in 2023.

But while the American is perhaps in a class of his own, he nonetheless believes that four-division world champion Shakur Stevenson can achieve a similar degree of success.

The 29-year-old claimed a career-best victory in January, losing just one round as he dethroned Teofimo Lopez with a masterful unanimous decision victory.

Having now signed with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing, though, it remains to be seen whether he defends his WBO super-lightweight title or pursues opportunities elsewhere.

Either way, Crawford has told Fight Hub TV that Stevenson has the mental and physical attributes to remain unbeaten at the highest level.

“I think Shakur [will take over]for sure, Shakur hands down. I think, given the opportunity, he’s going to show the world that he’s the best. His mental, his defense [sets him apart]takes his craft serious. He’s the type of the fighter that you gotta pull out the gym. [Is he beatable?] Not at all. Everybody [is] beatable, but I don’t see nobody beating him.”

Since inking a promotional deal with Zuffa, Stevenson has named Devin Haney and Gervonta Davis as two potential opponents who would cement his greatness.

The slick southpaw could therefore compete anywhere between lightweight and 147lbs, depending on which division offers the most realistic opportunities.

Boxing

Usyk Analyzes Anthony Joshuas Performance Against Kristian Prenga After Overcoming Two Knockdowns

Published

2 days ago

July 25, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

"Usyk Analyzes Anthony Joshua's Performance Against Kristian Prenga After Overcoming Two Knockdowns"

Oleksandr Usyk has shared his reaction to Anthony Joshua‘s dramatic knockout victory against Kristian Prenga.

Usyk nearly suffered his own shock defeat in May when he was pushed to the limit by kickboxing star Rico Verhoevenand two months on it was nrw teammate Joshua’s turn to come close to a massive upset loss that would have stunned the heavyweight division.

The Brit was dropped twice by massive underdog Prenga in the opening round of their clash in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, but ‘AJ’ managed to recover and record a big knockdown of his own in the second round that resulted in the stoppage victory.

Joshua and Usyk now train together, having famously had two battles for the unified world heavyweight title in 2021 and 2022, and the Ukrainian has had his say on his stablemate’s victory over Prenga.

Speaking to TalkSporttwo-time undisputed champion Usyk praised Joshua, insisting ‘AJ is back’ before predicting that Joshua will now claim a knockout win over long-term rival Tyson Fury in his next bout.

“Anthony Joshua is next undisputed champion. First round it’s a test but AJ is back.

It’s boxing, [the] big upper cut is good, it’s a knockdown. AJ [come] back and win.

“Greedy Belly [Fury] will speak now and say weak chin, Greedy Belly get out. AJ wins [against Fury], [he will] knock him out.”

Fury was victorious on Friday as he earned a seventh round retirement win against Mariusz Wach in Thailand, paving the way for the showdown against Joshua later this year.