Shakur Stevenson has vowed to quieten his doubters when he returns to the ring to defend his WBC lightweight title against Artem Harutyunyan in his hometown.
Stevenson meets Germany’s Harutyunyan in Newark, New Jersey in what will be the first defence of his WBC lightweight world title, live on Sky Sports on Sunday at 1am.
In November 2023, the 27-year-old won the vacant WBC title to become a three-division world champion when he unanimously outpointed Edwin De Los Santos in Las Vegas, but the bout drew boos due to its hesitant and slow-paced performance
“I just want to shut up the people that don’t know nothing about boxing, I call them casuals,” Stevenson said.
“I think a lot of people doubt me because they try to make certain fighters invisible and I just don’t believe that logic.
“I think anybody can be beat on any given day, and honestly, I’m a lot to deal with within myself so I don’t know how people could even put me as an underdog but let’s do it.
“I expect to perform at the highest level. Be sharp, be smart. I will entertain. I will sit there and beat guys up in my own way.
“They’re going to see boxing at the highest level. I’m planning on showing somebody who mastered the art of hitting and not getting hit while being entertaining.
“My plan is to become the best boxer ever.
“And being the best boxer ever is somebody who has mastered the art of hitting and not getting hit and that’s what I plan on showing come July 6.”
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Stevenson, a southpaw, relied on using footwork and single punches, predominantly his lead right. He landed jabs that scored, hinting at his capabilities but he was far too sparing with any power punches from his backhand against De Los Santos on his last time out.
Stevenson’s name was linked with Vasiliy Lomachenko for a while but the two have never fought each other to date, with the Ukrainian boxer dropping George Kambosos Jr in the 11th round to win the IBF lightweight title in Perth in May.
“Lomachenko probably feels he’s got a better chance to win going in that direction,” Stevenson said.
“I mean it’s a business deal, he’s not looking for the biggest challenges, he’s looking for the biggest money so I get it.
“I’ve been saying I would like to fight Teofimo Lopez, that would definitely be an intriguing fight to make,” he added.
“He went on air and said he would never fight me, he did an interview not too long and said he wouldn’t fight me, something that doesn’t even make sense.
“I don’t know what he’s talking about but I would love to fight him.”
Speaking on a potential fight between Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis and Lomachenko, Stevenson said: “I think Tank is younger and fresher so he should do his thing, because I know if it was me, my game plan would be to use my age and my youth and beat him up.
“But I don’t know, it could be a tricky fight because I don’t think that Tank has ever seen anybody with Lomachenko’s footwork either and with the experience in the ring, it could be a tricky fight
“Everyone may think that Lomachenko is a super underdog but he may have a chance.”
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Source : Sky Sports
