Edwin de los Santos – Page 3 – Syndication Server

Is Shakur Stevenson as good as anyone in boxing? Cases for and against

Is Shakur Stevenson as good as anyone in boxing? The cases for and against.

No one questions Shakur Stevenson’s boxing ability.

The 135-pound title contender, who fights Edwin De Los Santos on Thursday in Las Vegas (ESPN, ESPN+), might be the best technician since Floyd Mayweather was at his peak. That could mean the 26-year-old from New Jersey is on his way to becoming a generational champion.

But how does Stevenson compare to those at the top of the pound-for-pound lists right now? Is he as good as anyone else?

Well, cases can be made for and against. Here are the arguments.

FOR

Who’s a better pure boxer than Stevenson?

Terence Crawford? “Bud” might be a more-complete fighter but it would be difficult to separate his technical ability from Stevenson’s. The same goes for Naoya Inoue, another great all-around fighter. Gervonta Davis? Remove Davis’ power from the equation and Stevenson could have an edge.

That’s why Stevenson (20-0, 10 KOs) has dominated almost every second of every round of every fight. Few if any can match his combination of natural gifts and learned skills, including speed, reflexes and athleticism.

The southpaw controls distance with excellent footwork and a stiff jab, which allows him to pick apart his foes and record one-sided victories. And he’s probably better defensively than he is offensively, meaning he’s next to impossible to hit cleanly.

It is often said that the game slows down for the best NFL quarterbacks when they are in a groove, which allows them to excel. Boxing slows down for Stevenson.

Consider stats provided by CompuBox. Stevenson is in the Top Two in all of boxing in five key statistical categories, number one in two of them. Have a look:

Plus / Minus (the percentage of punches he lands vs. those he takes)

Stevenson, +20.3; David Benavidez, +18.3; Dmitry Bivol, +17.3; Vasiliy Lomachenko, +16.8; Gervonta Davis, +14.4.

Power punch connect percentage

Davis, 47.7; Stevenson, 47.2; Zhilei Zhang, 46.9; Benavidez, 46.8; Lomachenko, 46.6.

Opponents total punches landed per round (fewest)

Demetrius Andrade, 5.4; Stevenson, 5.5; Bivol, 5.9; Chris Eubank Jr., 6.1; Anthony Joshua, 6.4.

Opponents total connect percentage (lowest)

Bivol, 12.4; Stevenson, 13.4; Andrade, 17.9; Brian Castano, 18.1; Kazuto Ioka, 18.4.

Opponents power punch connect percentage (lowest)

Stevenson, 16.9; Bivol, 21.9; Andrade, 23.1; Benavidez, 25; Ioka, 25.4.

CompuBox statistics are unofficial, of course. However, the trend indicated in these numbers suggests that Stevenson is as good as anyone at the art of hitting and not getting hit.

He might be the best.

AGAINST

Stevenson might be lacking in two regards, one that could be resolved over time and one with which he might be stuck.

Stevenson is a young fighter who is just starting to build his resume, which makes it difficult to draw definitive conclusions about his ability. He has several important victories – Joet Gonzalez, Jamel Herring and, most notably, Oscar Valdez – but he has yet to face a top-tier opponent.

That’s why he’s No. 13 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list and not yet in the Top 10 in other reputable rankings even though he aces the eye test fight after fight.

If he ultimately fights and defeats the likes of Davis, Lomachenko, Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez, you can bet that he’ll crack everyone’s Top 10 and continue his rapid ascent in the eyes of pundits and fans alike.

A deficiency that might never be resolved is Stevenson’s relative lack of punching power.

Not all great fighters are big punchers. For example, neither Muhammad Ali nor Floyd Mayweather were knockout artists. However, they’re two of the greatest boxers of all time, legends who didn’t need to hurt opponents to dominate them

Stevenson hasn’t needed crushing power either but it might come in handy against next level opposition. That’s one thing that sets Davis apart from the rest. “Tank” is an excellent boxer who can also end any fight in an instant.

The reality is Stevenson doesn’t have that weapon. Neither do Haney, Lomachenko and Lopez, which arguably leaves all of them a step behind Davis.

Who knows, though? Maybe Stevenson won’t need unusual power to become the best in the business. Again, it’s victories that count in the end.

“Tell all the other lightweights to get ready,” he said after stopping Shuichiro Yoshino in April, his most recent fight. “I’m waiting for them. I can’t wait for them to finish the fights that they have going on. Then it’s my turn.”

[lawrence-related id=39654,36694,36678,36633]

Is Shakur Stevenson as good as anyone in boxing? Cases for and against

Is Shakur Stevenson as good as anyone in boxing? The cases for and against.

No one questions Shakur Stevenson’s boxing ability.

But how does Stevenson compare to those at the top of the pound-for-pound lists right now? Is he as good as anyone else?

Well, cases can be made for and against. Here are the arguments.

FOR

Who’s a better pure boxer than Stevenson?

It is often said that the game slows down for the best NFL quarterbacks when they are in a groove, which allows them to excel. Boxing slows down for Stevenson.

Consider stats provided by CompuBox. Stevenson is in the Top Two in all of boxing in five key statistical categories, number one in two of them. Have a look:

Plus / Minus (the percentage of punches he lands vs. those he takes)

Stevenson, +20.3; David Benavidez, +18.3; Dmitry Bivol, +17.3; Vasiliy Lomachenko, +16.8; Gervonta Davis, +14.4.

Power punch connect percentage

Davis, 47.7; Stevenson, 47.2; Zhilei Zhang, 46.9; Benavidez, 46.8; Lomachenko, 46.6.

Opponents total punches landed per round (fewest)

Demetrius Andrade, 5.4; Stevenson, 5.5; Bivol, 5.9; Chris Eubank Jr., 6.1; Anthony Joshua, 6.4.

Opponents total connect percentage (lowest)

Bivol, 12.4; Stevenson, 13.4; Andrade, 17.9; Brian Castano, 18.1; Kazuto Ioka, 18.4.

Opponents power punch connect percentage (lowest)

Stevenson, 16.9; Bivol, 21.9; Andrade, 23.1; Benavidez, 25; Ioka, 25.4.

CompuBox statistics are unofficial, of course. However, the trend indicated in these numbers suggests that Stevenson is as good as anyone at the art of hitting and not getting hit.

He might be the best.

AGAINST

Stevenson might be lacking in two regards, one that could be resolved over time and one with which he might be stuck.

That’s why he’s No. 13 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list and not yet in the Top 10 in other reputable rankings even though he aces the eye test fight after fight.

A deficiency that might never be resolved is Stevenson’s relative lack of punching power.

The reality is Stevenson doesn’t have that weapon. Neither do Haney, Lomachenko and Lopez, which arguably leaves all of them a step behind Davis.

Who knows, though? Maybe Stevenson won’t need unusual power to become the best in the business. Again, it’s victories that count in the end.

[lawrence-related id=39654,36694,36678,36633]

Fight Week: Shakur Stevenson will bid to become three-division titleholder

Fight Week: Shakur Stevenson will bid to become a three-division titleholder against Edwin De Los Santos on Thursday in Las Vegas.

FIGHT WEEK

Pound-for-pounder Shakur Stevenson and Edwin De Los Santos are scheduled to fight for the 135-pound title stripped from Devin Haney on Thursday night in Las Vegas.

SHAKUR STEVENSON (20-0, 10 KOs)
vs. EDWIN DE LOS SANTOS (16-1, 14 KOs)

Date: Thursday, Nov. 16
Time: 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
TV/Stream: ESPN, ESPN+
Division: Lightweight (135 pounds)
At stake: Vacant WBC title
Odds: Stevenson 8-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Emanuel Navarrete vs. Robson Conceicao, junior lightweights (for Navarrete’s WBO title)
Prediction: Stevenson UD
Background: Stevenson will try to become a world titleholder in a third division and continue to build the case that he’s as good as anyone in boxing in an unusual Thursday-night fight. The gifted 2016 Olympic silver medalist from New Jersey has been untouchable as a professional, even as his opposition has improved. He became a two-division champion by stopping Jamel Hering to win a 130-pound title in 2021 and then successfully defended by easily outpointing unbeaten Oscar Valdez in a title-unification bout the following April, which lifted him onto many pound-for-pound lists (No. 13 on Boxing Junkie’s). He lost his belts on the scale before defeating Robson Conceicao by a wide decision in September last year, after which he made the decision to move up to 135. He knocked out Shuichiro Yoshino in six rounds in his debut as a full-fledged lightweight on April 8. He will now face De Los Santos for the 135-pound title stripped from Devin Haney. The 24-year-old from the Dominican Republic has won three consecutive fights since he lost a split decision to William Foster III in January of last year, knockouts of Luis Acosta and Jose Valenzuela, and a decision over Joseph Adorno. De Los Santos is taking a significant step up in opposition against Stevenson.

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

TUESDAY

Steve Claggett vs. Miguel Madueno, lightweights, Montreal (ESPN+)

WEDNESDAY

Justin Pauldo vs. Jerry Perez, lightweights, Plant City, Florida (ProBox TV)

SATURDAY

Diego Pacheco vs. Marcelo Coceres, super middleweights, Los Angeles (DAZN)
Denzel Bentley vs. Nathan Heaney, middleweights, Manchester, England (ESPN+)
Franck Petitjean vs. Adam Azim, junior welterweights, Wolverhampton, England (Peacock)

[lawrence-related id=36694,36678,36633,36531]

Fight Week: Shakur Stevenson will bid to become three-division titleholder

Fight Week: Shakur Stevenson will bid to become a three-division titleholder against Edwin De Los Santos on Thursday in Las Vegas.

FIGHT WEEK

Pound-for-pounder Shakur Stevenson and Edwin De Los Santos are scheduled to fight for the 135-pound title stripped from Devin Haney on Thursday night in Las Vegas.

SHAKUR STEVENSON (20-0, 10 KOs)
vs. EDWIN DE LOS SANTOS (16-1, 14 KOs)

Date: Thursday, Nov. 16
Time: 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
TV/Stream: ESPN, ESPN+
Division: Lightweight (135 pounds)
At stake: Vacant WBC title
Odds: Stevenson 8-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Emanuel Navarrete vs. Robson Conceicao, junior lightweights (for Navarrete’s WBO title)
Prediction: Stevenson UD
Background: Stevenson will try to become a world titleholder in a third division and continue to build the case that he’s as good as anyone in boxing in an unusual Thursday-night fight. The gifted 2016 Olympic silver medalist from New Jersey has been untouchable as a professional, even as his opposition has improved. He became a two-division champion by stopping Jamel Hering to win a 130-pound title in 2021 and then successfully defended by easily outpointing unbeaten Oscar Valdez in a title-unification bout the following April, which lifted him onto many pound-for-pound lists (No. 13 on Boxing Junkie’s). He lost his belts on the scale before defeating Robson Conceicao by a wide decision in September last year, after which he made the decision to move up to 135. He knocked out Shuichiro Yoshino in six rounds in his debut as a full-fledged lightweight on April 8. He will now face De Los Santos for the 135-pound title stripped from Devin Haney. The 24-year-old from the Dominican Republic has won three consecutive fights since he lost a split decision to William Foster III in January of last year, knockouts of Luis Acosta and Jose Valenzuela, and a decision over Joseph Adorno. De Los Santos is taking a significant step up in opposition against Stevenson.

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

TUESDAY

Steve Claggett vs. Miguel Madueno, lightweights, Montreal (ESPN+)

WEDNESDAY

Justin Pauldo vs. Jerry Perez, lightweights, Plant City, Florida (ProBox TV)

SATURDAY

Diego Pacheco vs. Marcelo Coceres, super middleweights, Los Angeles (DAZN)
Denzel Bentley vs. Nathan Heaney, middleweights, Manchester, England (ESPN+)
Franck Petitjean vs. Adam Azim, junior welterweights, Wolverhampton, England (Peacock)

[lawrence-related id=36694,36678,36633,36531]

Good, bad, worse: Andy Ruiz Jr. gave uninspiring, but effective performance

Good, bad, worse: Andy Ruiz Jr. gave an uninspiring, but effective performance against Luis Ortiz on Sunday in Los Angeles.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

If Andy Ruiz Jr.’s only goal was the have his hand raised in his comeback fight against fellow heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz on Sunday in Los Angeles, then he succeeded. If he wanted to make a statement, well, he didn’t have a great night.

The former unified titleholder looked terrific for three moments, the moments when he put Ruiz down – twice in Round 2 and once in Round 7. Otherwise, Ruiz did more waiting than punching and was outworked by his 43-year-old, weak-legged opponent in a lackluster fight. According to CompuBox, Ortiz threw 428 punches, Ruiz only 287 (24 per round).

That allowed Ortiz (33-3, 28 KOs) to stay in the fight in spite of the knockdowns, winning six rounds on two cards and seven on the third.

What went wrong?

Ruiz (35-2, 22 KOs) would say “nothing.” The strategy devised by Ruiz and trainer Alfredo Osuna evidently was to box, wait for Ortiz to commit and then counter with quick, hard combinations. That’s essentially what Ruiz did, which resulted in the knockdowns and the unanimous decision victory.

I believe there was more to it than sticking to a game plan, though. Ruiz had never faced a left-handed opponent before Sunday, which was significant. He reportedly had problems adjusting to southpaw sparring partners early in camp. And it appeared that the issues weren’t fully resolved against Ortiz, who is a particularly clever southpaw with fight-ending power.

Thus, Ruiz has reason to be satisfied that he exited the ring with a victory, one that could lead directly to a massive fight against former champion Deontay Wilder if Wilder defeats Robert Helenius on Oct. 15 in Brooklyn.

It was a productive night for Ruiz even if it wasn’t a thrilling one.

BAD

Andy Ruiz Jr. (right) put Luis Ortiz down three times. Harry How / Getty Images

Ortiz performed about as well as he could against Ruiz.

The Cuban can still box, can still think, can still throw a lot of punches, can still punch. He just couldn’t overcome two things on Sunday, Ruiz’s ability to take a hard shot and his own inability to do so.

Ortiz has been down five times in his last two fights, including two knockdowns before he stopped Charles Martin in six rounds in January. He can still take a decent punch without getting hurt badly. The problem appears to be his legs, which seem to betray him when he gets caught.

That’s what happened when Martin put him down with a jab that would’ve had no effect on him five or 10 years ago.

Ortiz can still compete at a high level – as he demonstrated on Sunday night – but his weak legs are difficult to overcome. And they’re only going to get weaker as he moves into his mid-40s.

Should he retire? I wouldn’t advise him to step away based on his response when he was asked after the fight whether he might be finished.

He seemed stunned that anyone would ask him such a question after what he believed to be a strong, courageous performance even though it was a reasonable query given his age and obvious liabilities.

“Do you think I’m done?” he said. “You saw a warrior tonight. What do the people want? Do you think I’m done?”

Indeed, he performed well enough against Ruiz to get another meaningful fight, which was a victory of sorts. And he obviously wants to continue what he’s done most of his life, to make a good living for his family, to cling to his dream of winning a world title.

I believe we’ll see Ortiz fight at least once or twice more.

WORSE

The fate of Jose Valenzuela on the Ruiz-Ortiz card is an example of how cruel boxing can be.

The lightweight contender was unbeaten and a rising young star as a result of his ability, controlled aggression and punching power. His ceiling was high. And then he met Edwin De Los Santos, a late replacement for Jezreel Corrales.

De Los Santos not only upset Valenzuela, he overwhelmed him. The quick-handed Dominican landed almost at will from the opening bell, which resulted in two knockdowns and a stunning third-round knockout.

De Los Santos (15-1, 14 KOs) went from a relatively obscure fighter to a major player in the deep 135-pound division. Valenzuela (12-1, 8 KOs) went the opposite direction, from a budding star to a fighter who might not have elite ability after all.

Valenzuela said he was surprised by De Los Santos’ aggression. It was more than that, though. His biggest problem appears to be his inability to avoid punches, as former champion and TV analyst Shawn Porter suggested.

He must pull out all stops to hone his defensive skills if he hopes to become the fighter he was projected to be.

And, just as important, he’ll have to overcome the psychological trauma of such a devastating loss, which won’t be easy. Some fighters can bounce back from that kind of setback, many can’t.

We’re going to learn a lot about Valenzuela’s mental toughness in the coming months.

RABBIT PUNCHES

Juan Francisco Estrada (43-3, 28 KOs) received surprisingly tough resistance from relative unknown Argi Cortes (23-3-2, 10 KOs) on Saturday in Mexico in what was supposed to be a tune-up for a third fight with rival Roman Gonzalez on Dec. 3. Estrada, who hadn’t fought in almost 18 months, was able to earn a unanimous decision victory but was never able to take complete control of the fight. Maybe it was rust. Maybe he underestimated Cortes. Maybe Cortes is simply better than anyone realized. Most likely it was all three reasons. Bottom line: It was strange to see the great Mexican champion struggle to beat an upstart. The version of Estrada we saw on Saturday probably couldn’t beat “Chocolatito,” who lost a disputed decision to Estrada in March of last year. Fortunately for Estrada (43-3, 28 KOs) a better version is likely to show up for the rubber match. Estrada will have shed whatever rust he experienced and he certainly won’t underestimate Gonzalez, one of the greatest fighters of his generation. Meanwhile, Cortes (23-3-2, 10 KOs) became a player in the 115-pound division over night as a result of his performance. He can box, he’s resilient and he handled the spotlight as if he’d been there a million times. He also has a Hall of Fame trainer in his corner, Nacho Beristain. Cortes suddenly has a bright future. …

I would pick Wilder to beat Ruiz but I’d the give the latter a chance in that fight because of his chin. I’m not sure anyone could stand up to Wilder’s power for long – even Tyson Fury went down four times in three fights with him – but Ruiz has an unusual ability to absorb punishment. That, combined with his solid skill set and quick, heavy hands, make him a threat to Wilder. … Isaac Cruz (24-2-1, 17 KOs) turned in another impressive performance on the Ruiz-Ortiz card. The lightweight contender buried capable of Eduardo Ramirez (27-3-3, 12 KOs) in an avalanche of power punches until Ramirez went down twice and was stopped in the second round. Is there anyone more fun to watch than Cruz? The 24-year-old Mexican now has two consecutive knockouts (including one against Yuriorkis Gamboa in April) since he lost a disputed decision to Gervonta Davis last December. I don’t know how he’d fair in a rematch with Davis or against the likes of superb technicians Devin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko but he would make them work hard for whatever they get, as we saw in the fight with Davis. …

Abner Mares (31-3-2, 15 KOs) didn’t have his hand raised against Miguel Flores (25-4-1, 2 KOs) in his first fight in four years but he should be pleased with himself. The 36-year-old former three-division champion fought the naturally bigger, fresher Flores to a majority draw in a 10-round lightweight bout on the Ruiz-Ortiz card. Mares appeared to be on his way to a sensational victory by Round 3, during which he hurt Flores several times with overhand rights. However, he then settled into a stick-and-move mode that allowed Flores to pull even with him by the end of the fight. Mares said afterward that he had problems with timing and other issues but he gave a solid performance given the circumstances. I didn’t like his posture in the second half of the fight – maybe he was just tired – but he can still fight at a high level.

[lawrence-related id=32477,32473,32455,32452,32449,32413]

[vertical-gallery id=32481]

Good, bad, worse: Andy Ruiz Jr. gave uninspiring, but effective performance

Good, bad, worse: Andy Ruiz Jr. gave an uninspiring, but effective performance against Luis Ortiz on Sunday in Los Angeles.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

That allowed Ortiz (33-3, 28 KOs) to stay in the fight in spite of the knockdowns, winning six rounds on two cards and seven on the third.

What went wrong?

It was a productive night for Ruiz even if it wasn’t a thrilling one.

BAD

Ortiz performed about as well as he could against Ruiz.

That’s what happened when Martin put him down with a jab that would’ve had no effect on him five or 10 years ago.

Ortiz can still compete at a high level – as he demonstrated on Sunday night – but his weak legs are difficult to overcome. And they’re only going to get weaker as he moves into his mid-40s.

Should he retire? I wouldn’t advise him to step away based on his response when he was asked after the fight whether he might be finished.

He seemed stunned that anyone would ask him such a question after what he believed to be a strong, courageous performance even though it was a reasonable query given his age and obvious liabilities.

“Do you think I’m done?” he said. “You saw a warrior tonight. What do the people want? Do you think I’m done?”

I believe we’ll see Ortiz fight at least once or twice more.

WORSE

The fate of Jose Valenzuela on the Ruiz-Ortiz card is an example of how cruel boxing can be.

He must pull out all stops to hone his defensive skills if he hopes to become the fighter he was projected to be.

And, just as important, he’ll have to overcome the psychological trauma of such a devastating loss, which won’t be easy. Some fighters can bounce back from that kind of setback, many can’t.

We’re going to learn a lot about Valenzuela’s mental toughness in the coming months.

RABBIT PUNCHES

[lawrence-related id=32477,32473,32455,32452,32449,32413]

[vertical-gallery id=32481]

Edwin De Los Santos overwhelms, stops Jose Valenzuela in third round

Edwin De Los Santos overwhelmed and then stopped Jose Valenzuela in the third round Sunday in Los Angeles.

Edwin De Los Santos was too much for Jose Valenzuela from the opening bell.

The Dominican lightweight prospect landed hard, accurate shots almost at will, put his Mexican opponent down twice and stopped him at 1:08 of the third round of a scheduled 10-rounder on the Andy Ruiz Jr.-Luis Ortiz card Sunday in Los Angeles.

De Los Santos (15-1, 14 KOs) was able to connect with his quick, punishing jab and sharp combinations from the opening bell, which put Valenzuela (12-1, 8 KOs) on his heels.

The Mexican fought bravely but couldn’t avoid De Los Santos’ punches or land enough to his own to turn the tide.

The second round was wild, as both fighters went down. De Los Santos also lost a point for punching Valenzuela while he was down.

None of that mattered, however, Valenzuela was clearly hurt as the bell rang for the start of Round 3. And De Los Santos took advantage, putting Valenzuela down once more.

Valenzuela was able to get to his feet but he was in trouble. All it took for a hard combination to his head to convince referee Ray Corona to stop the fight.

De Los Santos hopes that the movers and shakers in boxing took notice.

“I came in against a ranked fighter tonight and I was up for the task,” he said. “Now I want the same name that everyone wants. I want Gervonta Davis.”

Valenzuela, a rising contender, will now have to rebuild.

“I didn’t expect De Los Santos to be as aggressive as he was in the fight,” he said. “He gave it out as he good as he took. I just want to focus on getting back in the ring and redeeming myself.”

[lawrence-related id=32477,32473,32455,32452]

Edwin De Los Santos overwhelms, stops Jose Valenzuela in third round

Edwin De Los Santos overwhelmed and then stopped Jose Valenzuela in the third round Sunday in Los Angeles.