NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 23: Robson Conceição (L) and Shakur Stevenson (R) alternate punches throughout their WBC and WBO junior light-weight championship struggle at Prudential Middle on September 23, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Picture by Mikey Williams/Prime Rank Inc by way of Getty Pictures)
NEWARK, N.J. — Shakur Stevenson had loads of frustration to vent strolling into the Prudential Middle on Friday evening. The 2 130-pound title belts, plus The Ring championship, had been vacated on the size the day prior after he missed weight by almost two kilos, placing a damper on his first struggle since turning into a champion in 2019.
He additionally had to surrender a part of his purse to his opponent Robson Conceicao to ensure the ESPN-televised struggle nonetheless occurred.
Stevenson (19-0, 9 knockouts) took all of it out on Conceicao (17-2, 8 KOs) on Friday evening, pummeling the 2016 Olympic gold medalist to a dominant unanimous resolution win. All three judges scored the bout in favor Stevenson, the 2016 Olympic bantamweight silver medalist, by the scores of 117-109 on two playing cards and 118-108 on the third.
“I had a protracted week. I killed myself to make weight. All I wish to do is are available in right here and carry out. I did all the pieces I might to try this,” stated the 25-year-old Stevenson, who was preventing in his hometown for the primary time since 2019.
Solely Conceicao was eligible to win the titles since he made weight, however the belts will now be vacant because of the Stevenson win. Conceicao, 33, of Santiago Brazil, has now misplaced each of his world title challenges, having dropped a call a yr in the past to then-WBC junior light-weight titleholder Oscar Valdez.
After a quiet feeling out spherical, Stevenson took over in spherical two, chopping Conceicao in half with left arms to the physique which opened up proper hooks upstairs. Stevenson’s foot motion saved him away from Conceicao’s personal photographs, and altered the space fast sufficient to open up counter punches.
Conceicao started to get determined in spherical three, promoting out to land his personal punches to keep away from being run out of the Prudential Middle. Conceicao lobbied referee David Fields to attract a low blow warning, which earned him a short respite within the spherical.
Stevenson’s funding within the physique was wanting extra like a cash-out as he damage Conceicao early on within the fourth with a slicing left to the midsection, after which dropped him to a knee on the finish of the spherical with an analogous shot for a knockdown.
The punishment turned worse and worse because the rounds progressed, as Stevenson’s physique work widened the hole in hand pace and left Conceicao a sitting duck for heavy energy punches to the top. Conceicao by no means stopped attempting, and landed his finest punch of the struggle within the eighth, a proper hand that snuck previous the shoulder of Stevenson. Stevenson accomplished about Conceicao’s pushing, which was the extent that the underdog made Stevenson uncomfortable.
“I’m only a dominating particular person. With me versus him, the ref, I did all the pieces I might to try to beat [Conceicao] up as a lot as I might. He held me the entire evening, however I did all the pieces I might,” stated Stevenson.
Stevenson barely misplaced a spherical, however he did lose a degree within the ninth for tossing Conceicao to the canvas as he held on to Stevenson’s neck. Conceicao’s roughhousing started to attract irritated smirks from Stevenson, who tossed Conceicao to the canvas once more within the tenth spherical. Stevenson centered most of his heavy artillery upstairs within the later rounds, which is probably going the most important cause Conceicao was in a position to final the space.
There was no probability @ShakurStevenson was going to disappoint at residence. @BoostMobile x #StevensonConeicao pic.twitter.com/PhKzt6C7iC
— Prime Rank Boxing (@trboxing) September 24, 2022
Stevenson’s weight points didn’t damage his reputation among the many followers in Newark. The native star acquired a rousing greeting from the gang from the reported 10,107 followers in attendance, breaking Prudential Middle’s earlier document for attendance at a boxing occasion which was set by the Tomasz Adamek vs. Jason Estrada bout in 2010.
Along with his enterprise at 130 kilos completed, Stevenson now turns his consideration to a 135 pound division the place his promoter Prime Rank is closely invested. The undisputed/RING champion Devin Haney entered right into a co-promotional settlement previous to defeating George Kambosos Jr. earlier this yr to carry the titles. Haney will face Kambosos for a second time on October 15.
Prime Rank additionally promotes former champion Vasiliy Lomachenko, who’s rated the no. 2 contender by The Ring behind Kambosos.
At 135 kilos, Stevenson has his finest shot to totally transition from rising star to transcendent champion.
“We gotta struggle the champ. Me and Devin [Haney], we might lock in. After he fights Kambosos, let’s get it on,” stated Stevenson.
