Shakur Stevenson and the Riyadh Season group have moved on to the following order of enterprise.
Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s Basic Leisure Authority, launched the complete undercard for the Oct. 12 Riyadh Season present. Stevenson is scheduled to subsequent face former IBF 130-pound titlist Joe Cordina within the co-feature.
The occasion will happen at Kingdom Area in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Headlining the present is the already introduced and rescheduled Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol RING/undisputed mild heavyweight championship.
All stories point out that Stevenson, The Ring’s No. 4-rated light-weight, will try the second protection of his WBC 135-pound title. There are numerous stories as to why Mexico’s William Zepeda, No. 3 at 135 by The Ring, received’t be subsequent.
So, right here’s another—and it doesn’t but go away Stevenson (22-0, 10 knockouts) off the hook.
A handbag bid listening to beforehand scheduled for Tuesday was postponed because the WBC workplace was closed. All workers members attended a funeral service held for Dona Martha Saldivar Sulaiman, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman’s mom who handed away on Tuesday.
Three sources immediately concerned with talks knowledgeable The Ring that Zepeda (31-0, 27 KOs) has not but stepped apart as necessary challenger. That stance was taken each earlier than and after Alalshikh’s put up on Tuesday.
In addition they come amidst wild claims on social media channelsthat Raymond Muratalla (21-0, 16 KOs) could be up subsequent. These rumors swirled after a cryptic put up from coach Robert Garcia’s account on X.
“Obtained phrase it was in regards to the purse bid at the moment for Shakur Zepeda. We’ll be prepared @ShakurStevenson.”
Obtained phrase it was in regards to the purse bid at the moment for Shakur Zepeda. We’ll be prepared @ShakurStevenson
— Robert Garcia Boxing (@GarciaBoxing) August 20, 2024
The account later clarified that Muratalla is “subsequent in line and we [aren’t] turning that down” if Zepeda steps apart.”
Zepeda is the No. 1-rated light-weight amongst all 4 main sanctioning our bodies. The southpaw from San Mateo Atenco, Mexico grew to become the WBA and IBF’s high contender after a fifth-round knockout of Maxi Hughes in Las Vegas. He was already No. 1 with the WBC and superior to the highest spot with the WBO.
Stevenson appeared prepared to maneuver on ever since talks surfaced of a doable title protection versus Wales’ Cordina (17-1, 9 KOs). The unbeaten three-division titleholder is now a promotional free agent, although primarily working with Matchroom Boxing. He additionally met immediately with Alalshikh, first on the Aug. 3 U.S. launch of the Riyadh Season boxing sequence. They’ve met once more within the two-plus weeks that adopted, to the place Alalshikh felt comfy to announce the complete Oct. 12 lineup.
Alalshikh has achieved this earlier than, actually with practically each Riyadh Season boxing occasion reveal. There have been two earlier events the place a title battle was introduced earlier than affirmation that it was accepted by a sanctioning physique.
RING cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia (25-0, 19 KOs) landed on the Dec. 21 undercard in a title protection versus Ellis Zorro. The battle was revealed regardless of his already ordered IBF necessary protection versus former champion Mairis Briedis (28-3, 20 KOs). A handbag bid listening to for that rematch was finally canceled, although the matter wasn’t absolutely resolved.
Opetaia was finally relieved of the belt as soon as he went by means of with the Zorro battle, whom he knocked out within the first spherical of a gross mismatch. The IBF belt landed again in his possession after he outpointed Briedis on the Might 18 Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury undercard.
Each fights came about at Kingdom Area in Riyadh. Opetaia will return on the Oct. 12 Riyadh Season present versus England’s Jack ‘One Smack’ Massey (22-2, 12 KOs).
Riyadh Season’s UK launch is ready for Sept. 21, headlined by the Daniel Dubois-Anthony Joshua IBF heavyweight title battle. Lately topped IBF 130-pound titlist Anthony Cacace (22-1, 8 KOs) is because of face former two-time featherweight titlist Josh Warrington (31-3-1, 8 KOs). The battle was gleefully revealed by Alalshikh regardless of by no means getting clearance from the IBF.
The Ring has realized that the IBF has but to sanction the battle.
Belfast’s Cacace stays on the hook to face necessary challenger Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez (26-1, 26 KOs) and might be stripped of the title if he strikes ahead with the Warrington battle. Warrington is just not ranked within the IBF High 15, both at 130 or at featherweight the place he twice held the sanctioning physique’s title. The 33-year-old from Leeds suffered back-to-back defeats, has not received since March 2022 and has but to battle at junior light-weight.
After all, cash talks. It’s why the Riyadh Season emblem is now splatted throughout occasions that includes Queensberry Promotions, Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions and High Rank.
Zepeda is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions. Stevenson grew to become a promotional free agent after a seven-year run with High Rank. Their deal expired after his July 6 win over Artem Harutyunyan (12-2, 7 KOs) in Newark, New Jersey.
Stevenson claimed the WBC 130-pound title in a twelve-round factors win over Edwin De Los Santos final Nov. 11 in Las Vegas. The 2016 Olympic Silver medalist beforehand held titles at 126 and 130, the latter the place he was additionally The Ring champion.
Jake Donovan is a senior author for The Ring.
