WBC light-weight champion Shakur Stevenson says he needs to “steal the present” in his title protection in opposition to Floyd Schofield (18-0, 12 KOs) on February twenty second of their undercard battle on the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 card on the Kingdom Area in Riyadh.
If Newark, New Jersey native Stevenson needs to be extra entertaining, that’s good. Nevertheless, he appears unlikely to succeed on account of his bodily limitations and timid preventing type.
“Steal the Present”? By no means!
Stevenson shouldn’t be constructed for struggle, and he must be prepared to place himself on the battlefield in opposition to Schofield to steal the present. He additionally wants a distinct physique and head. It must be a Dr. Frankenstein who would repair Shakur to make him steal the present from Beterbiev-Bivol II. That tumbler hand will stop Stevenson from taking the eye away from the principle occasion.
Shakur’s safety-first type of preventing makes him the least seemingly of the undercard fighters to steal the limelight from the opposite skills on the cardboard. He must abandon his play-it-safe type of preventing and never stand within the pocket however go after the 22-year-old Schofield seeking to rating a knockout on this battle.
In his final battle in opposition to the light-hitting Artem Harutyunyan, Shakur was extra prepared to have interaction than in lots of his previous contests. Nevertheless, he threw single counter pictures and couldn’t harm Artem. By the eighth spherical, Shakur’s hometown followers on the Prudential Heart in Newark headed for the exits, little question bored just like the viewers at residence watching the competition on ESPN.
“I’m coming to attempt to steal the present. I’m targeted, I’m prepared, I’ve been working exhausting, and I’m going to be in tip-top form come battle night time. You’re going to see the very best variations of me,” stated Shakur Stevenson to Fighthype about his plans on attempting to steal the limelight in his battle in opposition to Schofield.
“It’s a stage he’s not prepared for. Nevertheless it goes, I’m going to return out victorious. You may undoubtedly see that battle,” stated Shakur when requested if we are able to see a battle between him and Gervonta Davis this yr.
“As soon as once more, I’ve bought Child Austin I’ve bought to give attention to. He’s bought Lamont Roach he’s bought to give attention to. We are able to’t look previous our opponents. If certainly one of us takes an L in opposition to a kind of guys, there ain’t going to be a giant battle between me and Tank. Let’s give attention to the duty at hand, and Child Austin is my focus.”
If Shakur will get dropped two or 3 times by Floyd in a drama-filled win, that may be a great way for him to steal the present on February twenty second. There’s no likelihood of that occuring. If Shakur bought dropped by Schofield, he’d be on his bike the rest of the battle, like he did in opposition to Edwin De Los Santos.
“Anyone might be undisputed in the correct battle. Anyone could be a champion with the correct particular person in entrance of them. I used to give attention to the undisputed factor, however I spotted how pretend this entire recreation is. I don’t care about that s***,” stated Shakur.
