Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Rafael Espinoza exceeded expectations as an unheralded underdog in the best way possible last December and two days shy of the one-year anniversary since his 12-round firefight with Robeisy Ramirez, the 30-year-old gets another opportunity centre stage to banish Olympic champion and former titleholder Robeisy Ramirez on a night headlined by two world championship rematches. Continue reading “Espinoza-Ramirez 2 fast approaching – the new champ’s saying all the right things”
Three-weight world champion Shakur Stevenson retired, then quickly circled back faster than Teofimo Lopez, left agitated by the politics of a sport he’s known his entire life. Now 26 and settled as one of the four titlists at 135lbs, the Olympic silver medallist must look inwardly if he’s to live up to the sky-high greatness many have long tipped him for. Will his last display prompt that? Continue reading “Addressing the Shakur Stevenson-shaped problem at lightweight, and well, beyond”
Robson Conceicao, an Olympic champion in 2016 and with a 17-1 record, is the latest opponent tasked with playing spoiler for Shakur Stevenson’s ambitious plans this weekend. Embarrassed by a weight miss that saw him stripped of his super-featherweight titles on the scale, can the 25-year-old put it in the rearview and showcase why he’s so highly-rated in his final 130lb fight?
Continue reading “Stevenson comes in 1.6lbs overweight, loses 130lb world titles before Friday night’s Conceciao clash”
On an evening overshadowed by history being made at Madison Square Garden, WBO super-featherweight champion Shakur Stevenson scored a sixth-round knockdown and thoroughly outboxed Oscar Valdez on his way to an impressive decision victory – comfortably seizing the Mexican’s WBC strap and inflicting the 31-year-old’s first professional defeat in 31 fights too.
Continue reading “Stevenson outclasses Valdez en route to wide decision win, now unified 130lb champion”
Ahead of their super-featherweight unification battle on Saturday night, Shakur Stevenson feels this matchup will help him turn into a superstar. Oscar Valdez, a clear underdog, praised undisputed super-middleweight champion Canelo Álvarez’s influence from regular training with his stablemate and believes those nuggets of wisdom can prove decisive this weekend. Continue reading “Stevenson believes Saturday night will see a superstar turn; Valdez hails Canelo tutelage”
Having produced a mature, impressive tenth-round TKO win over Jamel Herring last October, winning the WBO super-featherweight title, Shakur Stevenson has a golden opportunity next month to do what he has long set out: continue on the road to superstardom, by inflicting the first professional loss on Oscar Valdez’s unblemished 30-0 (23 KOs) record. Will he sink or swim? Continue reading “Stevenson-Valdez: It’s been a long time coming, but Shakur’s showcase awaits on Apr. 30”
Shakur Stevenson promised this would be his breakout display and it proved precisely that: immediately taking control, showcasing blistering speed while unleashing a different dimension to his repertoire. Once he could smell blood from an increasingly hurt Jamel Herring, his forward pressure intensified to earn a tenth-round TKO victory and the WBO’s 130lb belt.
Continue reading “Stevenson breaks down Herring to win WBO super-featherweight title with R10 TKO”
The biggest test of Shakur Stevenson’s budding professional career awaits this weekend in friend-turned-foe Jamel Herring (23-2, 11 KOs) and while their WBO super-featherweight title bout has some spice to it, the 24-year-old must leave his swagger in the changing room to win. Continue reading “Bravado aside, Shakur Stevenson cannot afford to underestimate Jamel Herring”
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As reported by ESPN’s Mike Coppinger yesterday, WBO super-featherweight champion Jamel Herring and interim titlist Shakur Stevenson are in advanced talks for a 130-pound title fight with the plan for it to be staged at some point during the final three months of this year.
Continue reading “Close to complete: Jamel Herring vs. Shakur Stevenson in advanced talks”
Ahead of his fight against Jeremiah Nakathila (21-1, 17 KOs) tonight with the vacant WBO interim super-featherweight world title on the line, Shakur Stevenson (15-0, 8 KOs) has made no mistake about his future intentions – which directly impact Jamel Herring and Oscar Valdez.
Continue reading “Shakur Stevenson issues Jamel Herring warning, ahead of his own Nakathila fight”
Jamel Herring utilised his height and reach advantages brilliantly, easing past Carl Frampton to ruthlessly end the Irishman’s three-division champion attempt with a sixth-round TKO win in Dubai – retaining his WBO super-featherweight title before revealing his willingness to move up in weight, also calling out WBC title-holder Oscar Valdez for a possible bout later this year.
Continue reading “Jamel Herring retains WBO super-featherweight title with R6 TKO, retires Carl Frampton”
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