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Will free boxing fans ever love Shakur Stevenson?

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11 months ago

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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.

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Boxing

Tyson vs. Mayweather exhibition postponed to fall 2026 due to hand injury

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2 hours ago

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May 24, 2026

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According to a statement issued Wednesday by BZA PR on behalf of the promotion, the planned exhibition of Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather has been postponed to the fall of 2026 after Tyson suffered a broken arm during training.

The release stated that Tyson, who was photographed in a cast, is recovering and intends to continue fighting once he heals. He described the delay as a brief postponement and said the date, location and broadcast plans for FIGHT SPORTS would be announced soon. According to information, the exhibition was last scheduled for May 30 under agreements with CSI Sports and FIGHT SPORTS.

The fight between the two former champions was first announced in September 2024, and was originally planned for spring 2026. In the following months, the fight took place on several proposed dates and locations without a confirmed broadcaster. The planned date for April 25 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo did not materialize. Veteran reporter Dan Rafael wrote in March that the fight “definitely won’t happen on that date,” citing a source familiar with the plans.

Tyson’s advisor, Amer Abdallah, said Boxing news in April that the contract remained valid and that he believed the fight would continue. Tyson himself admitted that he injured his hand earlier this year.

Tyson (59) last competed in November 2024, when he returned to the professional ring and lost by decision to Jake Paul. Mayweather, who retired with a professional record of 50-0, has not fought professionally since stopping Conor McGregor in 2017, although he still competes in exhibition fights. Mayweather has separately confirmed a June 27 fight against Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis in Athens and is linked to a September rematch with Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas.

CSI Sports, founded by Richard and Craig Miele in 1997, owns the rights to a catalog of championship boxing events and operates the FIGHT SPORTS network. The company said it would debut the up-to-date technology in 2026, without providing further details.

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Break in the match Usyk demands WBC intervention after the bell against Verhoeven

Published

4 hours ago

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May 24, 2026

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Image: Usyk Post-Bell Stoppage Against Verhoeven Demands WBC Intervention

So the question is: what options does injured player Rico Verhoeven have to appeal against the referee’s decision? Under the rules of the World Boxing Council (WBC), the sanctioning body for boxing, the Council has the power to correct sedate injustices suffered by aggrieved fighters during major world title fights. Moreover, there is precedent in this case. In 2022, the WBC officially awarded the super featherweight world championship belt to Jeff Fenech, 30 years after his controversial 1991 defeat to Azumah Nelson.

Of course, it would be foolish to suggest that Verhoeven should wait 30 years to make amends and win the world heavyweight title. It can therefore be argued that the WBC Board of Governors should now call a Special Meeting to discuss the Usyk vs. Verhoeven world title fight due to the confusion the result has caused among commentators, fans and even fighters. Everyone is united that this fight was stopped too early.

It is worth noting that current WBC welterweight world champion Ryan Garcia, who was at ringside, claims that the fight was stopped after the end of the 11th round. Others wrote the same on YouTube, with one irate fan even suggesting that the Usyk vs. Verhoeven fight was rigged.

There is a belief, rightly or wrongly, that it would be unacceptable for a professional kickboxer with only one professional fight as a heavyweight boxer to defeat a reigning world heavyweight boxing champion with significantly more heavyweight boxing experience. In tiny, boxing would be seen as a joke in the eyes of many if Verhoeven was allowed to beat Usyk.

But facts are facts. After round 10, the three judges’ scorecards were 95-95, 95-95 and 96-94 in favor of Rico Verhoeven. Round 11 does not count because it was not completed properly and the referee wrongly stopped the fight after the bell.

Politics is present in every workplace. It would be a pity if politics also appeared in professional boxing. To counter this impression, the WBC must do the right thing. A No Contest verdict for this fight will not be enough as it will leave Oleksandr Usyk as the WBC champion. Something more radical needs to be done.

The WBC needs to convince the outside world that anyone can become heavyweight champion of the world if given the opportunity. The WBC sanctioned this boxing fight.

Verhoeven won on points. At the end of the 11th round, Verhoeven was still in doubt. The fight was unfairly stopped. The conclusion is therefore straightforward and will mark a progressive step in professional boxing.

Rico Verhoeven is the modern world heavyweight boxing champion. But it would have sounded better if Michael Buffer had been allowed to make this announcement.

Romer Cherubiny
Independent journalist
Great Britain

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Boxing

Vasily Lomachenko will get an immediate chance to win the world title in his comeback fight

Published

6 hours ago

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May 24, 2026

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Vasiliy Lomachenko set to be given immediate chance to win world title in comeback fight

Vasily Lomachenko can win the world title outright, but only if he decides to fight at 130 pounds.

Either way, the 38-year-old is expected to return to action later this year after his contract with Top Rank expired earlier this month.

As a promotional free agent, “Loma” is expected to fight for the first time since May 2024, when he earned an 11th-round victory over George Kambosos Jr.

Lomachenko thus won the IBF lightweight title after previously being a three-division world champion, with his last 10 professional appearances coming at 135 pounds.

While many expect him to return to lightweight, perhaps in pursuit of a showdown with Gervonta Davis, the Ukrainian could potentially be tempted by a chance at 130 pounds.

In other words, he will get an immediate shot at the world title against unified champion Emanuel Navarrete, who is falling from a dominant position Final in the 11th round against Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez.

This, in turn, led to the unification of the WBO and IBF titles, although it is unclear what options the Mexican is considering for his next fight.

However, one of them may be a fight with Lomachenko, and WBO president Gustavo Olivieri will share his thoughts on this matter via social media.

“Lomachenko is back and if he wants to fight at 130 pounds with Navarrete, I’m sure the WBO Executive Committee [will approve their fight].

“In delicate of his professional merits – [two-time] Olympic [gold] medalist, multi-division champion, WBO super champion, future Hall of Famer – I’m sure the acceptance will be unanimous.”

While a fight with Lomachenko could make sense for both sides, super featherweight contender Charly Suarez will be demanding a mandatory shot against Navarrete if he makes his next fight against Manuel Avila on July 11.

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