Shakur Stevenson says he expects his opponent Artem Harutyunyan to “begin operating” from him when he begins punishing him of their headliner battle on ESPN this Saturday, July sixth, on the Prudential Middle in Newark, New Jersey.
Stevenson’s Prediction: A Case of Projection?
WBC light-weight champion Stevenson’s prediction that Harutyunyan (13-1, 7 KOs) will run from him is a basic instance of him projecting his inside-the-ring actions onto his opponent to distance himself from going through the bitter fact.
Shakur (21-0, 10 KOs) must cease shifting and give attention to combating as a result of he should look good on this final battle underneath his contract with Prime Rank. He’ll grow to be a free agent after his battle with Harutyunyan.
A Change in Technique Wanted?
If Stevenson needs to get a candy multi-million contract with one other promotional, he’s acquired to face within the heart of the ring and go to battle with Harutyunyan with out utilizing his typical hit-and-run model. In case you’re one of many large promoters, you don’t need to signal a most cancers, and you’ll’t get prime fighters to need to face him.
Prime Rank in all probability thought once they signed Shakur that his efficiency in his shedding effort within the 2016 Olympic finals in opposition to Robeisy Ramirez was only a fluke factor and that he would grow to be an entertaining fighter as a professional.
That hasn’t occurred. Shakur’s combating model has not modified since his novice days, and now Prime Rank’s experiment with him ends on Saturday.
The Strain is On for Stevenson
“It depends upon how powerful he’s and the way a lot punishment he can take. I do know he’s going to start out operating, after which I acquired to chop the ring,” mentioned Shakur Stevenson to Prime Rank Boxing, speaking about Artem Harutyunyan.
It’s not going to work for Shakur to deflect criticism about his personal hit-and-not-get-hit boring combating model onto his opponent Harutyunyan as a result of that’s not going to assist him. Harutyunyan isn’t a runner, and he’s not going to start out on Saturday going through a weak puncher like Shakur.
If Shakur needs that new mega-million contract from one of many promotional corporations, he’s going to wish to battle tooth and nail and threat getting knocked out. Harutyunyan isn’t a puncher, nevertheless it doesn’t matter. Shakur wouldn’t be a runner if he had a superb chin.
“This dude is an effective fighter. I believe a whole lot of the general public don’t know him. In order that they assume how good he’s. Proper now, I believe the mode that I’m in and what I’ve acquired occurring in my mind, I need to are available and put punishment on him,” mentioned Shakur about Harutyunyan.
It’s not too late for Shakur to impress one of many promoters to get that profitable deal that he’s hoping for, however he’s acquired to place his chin on the road. The factor is, I don’t assume Shakur can change his combating model. It’s so firmly in place that he’ll instinctively pull again and retreat if Harutyunyan makes an attempt to land something.
Shakur has in all probability been combating like this since he was a child, and he can’t change even when he wished. I don’t assume he feels he wants to vary, and that’s the tragedy.
If a brand new promotional firm chooses to signal Shakur, it must be conscious that he won’t change his combating model. As lengthy they perceive that that is pretty much as good because it will get with Shakur, they’ll be positive as a result of they received’t count on him to grow to be a giant star.
“It could begin out as a boxing match, after which I’ll begin beating the s*** out of him. Perceive, we’re going to get the job executed by any means. In spherical six or seven, he’s going to start out shifting throughout. I’ve acquired to chop the ring off somewhat bit,” mentioned Shakur.
