WBC light-weight champion Shakur Stevenson wants a “Floyd Mayweather second,” in accordance with Teddy Atlas, to construct his recognition within the boxing neighborhood.
Atlas factors out that earlier in his profession, Mayweather beat up and stopped an enormous puncher, Diego Corrales, in a combat that elevated his fanbase. Mayweather did it as an enormous puncher, and that helped his profession.
A Knockout Efficiency Wanted
Shakur (21-0, 10 KOs) isn’t dealing with a slugger this Saturday in his protection towards Artem Harutyunyan (13-1, 7 KOs) on the Prudential Middle in Newark, New Jersey.
It will nonetheless assist if Shakur deserted his standard safety-first combating model and went for a knockout of their ESPN-televised conflict towards the Germany-based 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Harutyunyan.
Ups and Downs, However Nonetheless Subsequent-Stage
“He has an amazing novice background, an Olympian. As a professional, he’s been transferring alongside very quick, progressing nice,” stated boxing professional Chris Algieri to Probox TV, speaking about WBC light-weight champion Shakur Stevenson.
Shakur has solely had two fights since transferring as much as light-weight, beating Edwin De Los Santos by a detailed twelve-round unanimous resolution in a combat that gave the impression to be a draw final November, and Shuichiro Yoshino.
Stevenson was speculated to look good towards De Los Santos, however he actually struggled. Afterward, his excuses about being injured didn’t persuade anybody. He simply regarded scared out of his wits by De Los Santos’ energy, and we’d seen the identical factor from Shakur in his fights towards Jeremiah Nakathilia and Joet Gonzalez. You possibly can solely conclude that he’s timid, except he was injured in these fights too,
“He’s had some ups and down by way of what individuals take into consideration his performances, however all boxing individuals perceive what they’re watching, perceive that he’s a next-level man. He would give anybody bother if not beat everybody round him,” stated Algieri.
The issue is that Shakur hasn’t proven next-level skill. He seems to be like a poor man’s model of Guillermo Rigondeaux, minus the massive energy that he had. Shakur’s working makes him unwatchable, and he at all times fights that method, not only for the De Los Santos match.
“I feel lots of people nonetheless within the group that may say that he might beat all of those guys, and he can,” stated Algieri about some followers believing Shakur can beat all the highest lightweights. “He undoubtedly has that skill. The pound-for-pound guys are at all times the fellows with the most effective protection. Protection is what separates champions.”
Some followers suppose Shakur can beat all of the 135-pounders, however most don’t. A number of fighters will benefit from Shakur’s timid model of combating to load up on him.
Not the Most Thrilling Fighter
“The elite guys don’t get hit. Shakur is among the greatest defensive fighters within the sport immediately, and he creates lots of openings. The difficulty is he’s not essentially the most thrilling fighter in any respect, which is me being good. A variety of guys suppose he’s very boring,” stated Algieri.
“To the boxing purists, they love what he does, however to the boxing followers which can be in search of thrilling fights, they in all probability dislike Shakur Stevenson,” stated Algieri.
“He’s not solely onerous to beat however to look good towards. That’s why lots of guys don’t wish to combat him,” stated Teddy Atlas about Shakur. “There’s no getting round it. He’s boring. It depends upon what your style is.
“If you wish to see dwelling runs, you keep at dwelling. You’re not watching Stevenson.”
