Tag: Herring vs Stevenson

Good, bad, worse: Shakur Stevenson’s special night, ‘bridgerweight’ garbage

Good, bad, worse: Shakur Stevenson’s special night, ‘bridgerweight’ garbage.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

It’s always exciting when you realize, with no doubt, that you’re witnessing a rare talent.

For me, that moment came on Saturday night, when the gifted Shakur Stevenson outclassed and then stopped then-WBO junior lightweight champion Jamel Herring in the 10th round to win a major belt in a second division.

We all knew going into the fight that Stevenson was a fine boxer and athlete. However, his performance on Saturday was beyond strong given his opponent; it was dazzling, which changed the way I look at him.

The 2016 Olympic silver medalist toyed with a good, experienced fighter with an overwhelming combination of speed and ability, essentially doing as he pleased for nine-plus rounds. Herring, a proud former U.S. Marine, never quit but he didn’t have the tools necessary to survive the storm.

Stevenson outlanded Herring 164 to 87 (99 to 41 in power shots), according to CompuBox. Also worth noting is that Herring landed only 20% of his punches (87 of 436), which gives you an idea of Stevenson’s defensive abilities.

The new titleholder has outlanded his opponents in his last 43 rounds, which goes back five fights. Think about that.

And it wasn’t as if Stevenson (17-0, 9 KOs) was backpedaling or boxing carefully on Saturday. He stood his ground against a supposedly bigger, strong man, throwing and landing damaging shots both from the outside and toe-to-toe. Turns out he’s tough, too.

In the end, the 24-year-old from Newark, New Jersey, gave the defining performance of his young career on national television. He has arrived as a genuine force in the sport.

Afterward, he reiterated his desire to face fellow 130-pound champ Oscar Valdez in a title-unification bout. I don’t see Valdez doing much better than Herring did. I think it’s going to take the Gervonta Davises and Teofimo Lopezes to test this special fighter.

***

BAD

Herring (23-3, 11 KOs) has no reason to be ashamed given Stevenson’s ability but he had to expect more from himself.

His trainer repeatedly pushed him to work his way inside and let his hands go, which was sound advice. At the same time, that’s easier said than done when you’re being greeted with quick, hard punches that you can’t see coming.

Herring had some good moments when he bullied Stevenson, which was his only hope of winning the fight. However, they were the exceptions. The younger man was too good and too strong – physically and mentally – to bend to his opponent’s will.

In other words, there was nothing Herring could do to turn the tide. For that reason, the moment referee Mark Nelson stepped in to save a bloodied, beaten Herring from more punishment seemed aptly merciful.

Enough was enough. Stevenson had made his point at Herring’s expense.

What now for Herring? He’s 35. The 2012 Olympian had an impressive career, bouncing back from early losses to become a world champion at 33 and make three successful defenses. I would say he got the most out of his talent, which is all any fighter can expect from himself or herself.

It would be a perfect time for him to walk away. And he should do so with his head held high.

***

WORSE

I’ll keep saying it: I think the creation of the new “bridgerweight” division was a mistake.

One of the biggest problems in boxing is the proliferation of titles, which have become progressively less meaningful as new belts have emerged. So what does WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman do? He creates an 18th weight class.

Now, as I’ve written, I understand the thought process beyond the added money it will generate for the sanctioning body. Men between 200 and 225 pounds are often at a disadvantage against the biggest heavyweights.

The “bridgerweight” division creates a level playing field for those 224 pounds or less, as we saw on Saturday, when Oscar Rivas (28-1, 19 KOs) outpointed a game Ryan Rozicki (13-1, 13 KOs) to become the first titleholder in the new division.

I had to laugh when I saw that Rivas outweighed Rozicki by almost 20 pounds, thereby giving him a distinct size advantage. Ironic, huh? And it could get worse. Sulaiman has said he wants to lower the cruiserweight limit to 190, which could create 30-plus-pound differences.

Still, I get the line of thinking.

My suggestion was that if Sulaiman insisted upon adding a weight class, then he should eliminate one. That would be the strawweight (105-pound limit) division, which would be consistent with the notion that people in general are getting bigger.

Alas, the WBC now has 18 “champions,” if that’s what you want to call them. If the other three sanctioning bodies follow its lead, we’d have as many as 72 titleholders, not counting the lamentable secondary belts.

Let’s hope the “bridgerweight” division just goes away.

***

RABBIT PUNCHES

The best thing to come out of the Rivas-Rozicky fight was Rozicky’s effort. He was overmatched in terms of both size and ability but gave a strong effort nonetheless, which put him on the map. I assume he’ll go back down to cruiserweight, where I believe he could compete with most contenders. Rivas turned in a so-so performance given his advantages. … Forgive me for not getting excited about Nico Ali Walsh, who stopped someone named James Westley II on the Stevenson-Herring card. I have nothing against the grandson of Muhammad Ali or his desire to maintain the family legacy. He’s pursuing his dreams. The problem is that he’s a club fighter at best and, from my perspective, he won’t evolve into much more. This is carrying on the Ali legacy? Laila Ali, a Hall of Famer, was a worthy successor to “The Greatest.” Ali Walsh’s attempt to pick up where she left off just doesn’t resonate. … Evan Holyfield, the 24-year-old son of Hall of Famer Evander Holyfield, has more to his game than Ali Walsh. The younger Holyfield (8-0, 6 KOs) stopped Charles Stanford in two rounds on the Stevenson-Herring card. He’s tall (6-foot-2) and rangy for a 154-pounder. There might be something to him.

Good, bad, worse: Shakur Stevenson’s special night, ‘bridgerweight’ garbage

Good, bad, worse: Shakur Stevenson’s special night, ‘bridgerweight’ garbage.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

GOOD

It’s always exciting when you realize, with no doubt, that you’re witnessing a rare talent.

For me, that moment came on Saturday night, when the gifted Shakur Stevenson outclassed and then stopped then-WBO junior lightweight champion Jamel Herring in the 10th round to win a major belt in a second division.

We all knew going into the fight that Stevenson was a fine boxer and athlete. However, his performance on Saturday was beyond strong given his opponent; it was dazzling, which changed the way I look at him.

The 2016 Olympic silver medalist toyed with a good, experienced fighter with an overwhelming combination of speed and ability, essentially doing as he pleased for nine-plus rounds. Herring, a proud former U.S. Marine, never quit but he didn’t have the tools necessary to survive the storm.

Stevenson outlanded Herring 164 to 87 (99 to 41 in power shots), according to CompuBox. Also worth noting is that Herring landed only 20% of his punches (87 of 436), which gives you an idea of Stevenson’s defensive abilities.

The new titleholder has outlanded his opponents in his last 43 rounds, which goes back five fights. Think about that.

And it wasn’t as if Stevenson (17-0, 9 KOs) was backpedaling or boxing carefully on Saturday. He stood his ground against a supposedly bigger, strong man, throwing and landing damaging shots both from the outside and toe-to-toe. Turns out he’s tough, too.

In the end, the 24-year-old from Newark, New Jersey, gave the defining performance of his young career on national television. He has arrived as a genuine force in the sport.

Afterward, he reiterated his desire to face fellow 130-pound champ Oscar Valdez in a title-unification bout. I don’t see Valdez doing much better than Herring did. I think it’s going to take the Gervonta Davises and Teofimo Lopezes to test this special fighter.

***

BAD

Herring (23-3, 11 KOs) has no reason to be ashamed given Stevenson’s ability but he had to expect more from himself.

His trainer repeatedly pushed him to work his way inside and let his hands go, which was sound advice. At the same time, that’s easier said than done when you’re being greeted with quick, hard punches that you can’t see coming.

Herring had some good moments when he bullied Stevenson, which was his only hope of winning the fight. However, they were the exceptions. The younger man was too good and too strong – physically and mentally – to bend to his opponent’s will.

In other words, there was nothing Herring could do to turn the tide. For that reason, the moment referee Mark Nelson stepped in to save a bloodied, beaten Herring from more punishment seemed aptly merciful.

Enough was enough. Stevenson had made his point at Herring’s expense.

What now for Herring? He’s 35. The 2012 Olympian had an impressive career, bouncing back from early losses to become a world champion at 33 and make three successful defenses. I would say he got the most out of his talent, which is all any fighter can expect from himself or herself.

It would be a perfect time for him to walk away. And he should do so with his head held high.

***

WORSE

I’ll keep saying it: I think the creation of the new “bridgerweight” division was a mistake.

One of the biggest problems in boxing is the proliferation of titles, which have become progressively less meaningful as new belts have emerged. So what does WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman do? He creates an 18th weight class.

Now, as I’ve written, I understand the thought process beyond the added money it will generate for the sanctioning body. Men between 200 and 225 pounds are often at a disadvantage against the biggest heavyweights.

The “bridgerweight” division creates a level playing field for those 224 pounds or less, as we saw on Saturday, when Oscar Rivas (28-1, 19 KOs) outpointed a game Ryan Rozicki (13-1, 13 KOs) to become the first titleholder in the new division.

I had to laugh when I saw that Rivas outweighed Rozicki by almost 20 pounds, thereby giving him a distinct size advantage. Ironic, huh? And it could get worse. Sulaiman has said he wants to lower the cruiserweight limit to 190, which could create 30-plus-pound differences.

Still, I get the line of thinking.

My suggestion was that if Sulaiman insisted upon adding a weight class, then he should eliminate one. That would be the strawweight (105-pound limit) division, which would be consistent with the notion that people in general are getting bigger.

Alas, the WBC now has 18 “champions,” if that’s what you want to call them. If the other three sanctioning bodies follow its lead, we’d have as many as 72 titleholders, not counting the lamentable secondary belts.

Let’s hope the “bridgerweight” division just goes away.

***

RABBIT PUNCHES

The best thing to come out of the Rivas-Rozicky fight was Rozicky’s effort. He was overmatched in terms of both size and ability but gave a strong effort nonetheless, which put him on the map. I assume he’ll go back down to cruiserweight, where I believe he could compete with most contenders. Rivas turned in a so-so performance given his advantages. … Forgive me for not getting excited about Nico Ali Walsh, who stopped someone named James Westley II on the Stevenson-Herring card. I have nothing against the grandson of Muhammad Ali or his desire to maintain the family legacy. He’s pursuing his dreams. The problem is that he’s a club fighter at best and, from my perspective, he won’t evolve into much more. This is carrying on the Ali legacy? Laila Ali, a Hall of Famer, was a worthy successor to “The Greatest.” Ali Walsh’s attempt to pick up where she left off just doesn’t resonate. … Evan Holyfield, the 24-year-old son of Hall of Famer Evander Holyfield, has more to his game than Ali Walsh. The younger Holyfield (8-0, 6 KOs) stopped Charles Stanford in two rounds on the Stevenson-Herring card. He’s tall (6-foot-2) and rangy for a 154-pounder. There might be something to him.

Shakur Stevenson gives brilliant performance, KOs Jamel Herring

Shakur Stevenson outclassed Jamel Herring to win the WBO 130-pound title Saturday in Atlanta.

Everyone knew that Shakur Stevenson is good. But this good?

The gifted 24-year-old outclassed veteran Jamel Herring before stopping him in 10 rounds to take Herring’s WBO 130-pound title and make a powerful statement Saturday night at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

Stevenson has now won major belts in two divisions within 17 pro fights. In the process, he made it difficult to keep him off pound-for-pound lists.

The challenger was too fast, too good and, in the end, too powerful for the 35-year-old Herring, who was making his fourth title defense but had never faced anyone quite like this opponent.

Stevenson (17-0, 9 KOs) stood his ground from beginning to end and landed hard, accurate shots, whether it was from a distance or on the inside, the only place where Herring had a chance to win the fight.

It didn’t matter. Herring could neither avoid Stevenson’s quick shots nor keep pace with his work rate, which isn’t a good formula for success.

Shakur Stevenson (left) landed at will against Jamel Herring. AP Photo / Ben Gray

Herring (23-3, 11 KOs) evidently had hopes Stevenson would fade in the later rounds, when he expected to take over. However, the challenger, who had taken little punishment, maintained his domination.

The beginning of the end came in Round 9, when Herring suffered a cut above his right eye. Then, with Herring bleeding in the 10th, Stevenson picked apart his helpless prey until a final flurry – with Herring covering up and not throwing back – prompted referee Mark Nelson to stop the fight.

The official time was 1:30 of Round 10.

Stevenson was all smiles afterward. And why not? He had taken the biggest step yet in his young career, essentially turning a good, experienced opponent into his personal punching bag on national television.

And it might only get better from here. He can now target WBC junior lightweight champ Oscar Valdez in a title-unification bout, as both men fight for the same promoter, Top Rank.

Or he could target the big names at 135 pounds, young stars like Gervonta Davis, Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney. These are the kind of opportunities a fighter gets when he delivers performances like the one on Saturday.

Stevenson has now won major titles in two divisions. Brandon Magnus / Getty Images

And if anyone doubted his ability to beat any of the above, you can bet they now won’t put anything past him.

Meanwhile, Herring might be finished. He talked about retirement after a brutal disqualification victory over Jonathan Oquendo in September of last year. Now, after a thorough beating from an up-and-comer, that notion undoubtedly will cross his mind again.

If that’s the last we see of him, he will have had an outstanding career. The former U.S. Marine overcame two losses in 2016 and 2017 and some personal challenges to build himself into a world champion.

And even though he lost his title in disappointing fashion, he can always say the setback came against one of the most talented young fighters on the planet.

Also on the card, Nico Ali Walsh (2-0, 2 KOs), the grand son of Muhammad Ali, stopped James Westley II (1-1, 0 KOs) 30 seconds into Round 3 of a scheduled four-round middleweight bout.

And 19-year-old junior middleweight prospect Xander Zayas (11-0, xx KOs) stopped Dan Karpency (9-4-1, 4 KOs) at the end of Round 4 in a scheduled six-rounder.

Shakur Stevenson gives brilliant performance, KOs Jamel Herring

Shakur Stevenson outclassed Jamel Herring to win the WBO 130-pound title Saturday in Atlanta.

Everyone knew that Shakur Stevenson is good. But this good?

The gifted 24-year-old outclassed veteran Jamel Herring before stopping him in 10 rounds to take Herring’s WBO 130-pound title and make a powerful statement Saturday night at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

Stevenson has now won major belts in two divisions within 17 pro fights. In the process, he made it difficult to keep him off pound-for-pound lists.

The challenger was too fast, too good and, in the end, too powerful for the 35-year-old Herring, who was making his fourth title defense but had never faced anyone quite like this opponent.

Stevenson (17-0, 9 KOs) stood his ground from beginning to end and landed hard, accurate shots, whether it was from a distance or on the inside, the only place where Herring had a chance to win the fight.

It didn’t matter. Herring could neither avoid Stevenson’s quick shots nor keep pace with his work rate, which isn’t a good formula for success.

Shakur Stevenson (left) landed at will against Jamel Herring. AP Photo / Ben Gray

Herring (23-3, 11 KOs) evidently had hopes Stevenson would fade in the later rounds, when he expected to take over. However, the challenger, who had taken little punishment, maintained his domination.

The beginning of the end came in Round 9, when Herring suffered a cut above his right eye. Then, with Herring bleeding in the 10th, Stevenson picked apart his helpless prey until a final flurry – with Herring covering up and not throwing back – prompted referee Mark Nelson to stop the fight.

The official time was 1:30 of Round 10.

Stevenson was all smiles afterward. And why not? He had taken the biggest step yet in his young career, essentially turning a good, experienced opponent into his personal punching bag on national television.

And it might only get better from here. He can now target WBC junior lightweight champ Oscar Valdez in a title-unification bout, as both men fight for the same promoter, Top Rank.

Or he could target the big names at 135 pounds, young stars like Gervonta Davis, Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney. These are the kind of opportunities a fighter gets when he delivers performances like the one on Saturday.

Stevenson has now won major titles in two divisions. Brandon Magnus / Getty Images

And if anyone doubted his ability to beat any of the above, you can bet they now won’t put anything past him.

Meanwhile, Herring might be finished. He talked about retirement after a brutal disqualification victory over Jonathan Oquendo in September of last year. Now, after a thorough beating from an up-and-comer, that notion undoubtedly will cross his mind again.

If that’s the last we see of him, he will have had an outstanding career. The former U.S. Marine overcame two losses in 2016 and 2017 and some personal challenges to build himself into a world champion.

And even though he lost his title in disappointing fashion, he can always say the setback came against one of the most talented young fighters on the planet.

Also on the card, Nico Ali Walsh (2-0, 2 KOs), the grand son of Muhammad Ali, stopped James Westley II (1-1, 0 KOs) 30 seconds into Round 3 of a scheduled four-round middleweight bout.

And 19-year-old junior middleweight prospect Xander Zayas (11-0, xx KOs) stopped Dan Karpency (9-4-1, 4 KOs) at the end of Round 4 in a scheduled six-rounder.

Jamel Herring vs. Shakur Stevenson: date, time, how to watch, weights, background

Jamel Herring vs. Shakur Stevenson: date, time, how to watch, background.

JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT TITLEHOLDER JAMEL HERRING WILL DEFEND HIS BELT AGAINST GIFTED SHAKUR STEVENSON IN A HUGE FIGHT FOR BOTH MEN ON SATURDAY.

JAMEL HERRING (23-2, 11 KOs) VS. SHAKUR STEVENSON (16-0, 8 KOs)

  • Date: Saturday, Oct. 23
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET / 4: 30 PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta
  • TV/Stream: ESPN and ESPN+
  • Cost: ESPN+ costs $6.99 per month or $69.99 annually
  • Division: Junior lightweights (130-pound limit)
  • Weights (from Friday’s weigh-in): Herring 129.8, Stevenson 130.0
  • At stake: Herring’s WBO title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Stevenson 6½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Nico Ali Walsh vs. James Westley, middleweights
  • Prediction: Stevenson UD
  • Background: This is one of the best-possible matchups in boxing, as Herring and Stevenson arguably are the two of the three best 130-pounders in the world, including Oscar Valdez. Herring, 35, is a late bloomer who overcame losses to Denis Shafikov and Ladarius Miller in 2016 and 2017 to build himself into a world champion, a distinction he earned by easily outpointing Masayuki Ito to win the WBO version of the title in May 2019. The tall (5-foot-10), rangy boxer from Cincinnati has successfully defended his belt three times, including an impressive sixth-round knockout of former Fighter of the Year Carl Frampton this past April. Stevenson, a 2016 Olympic silver medalist, is a polished boxer who has been blessed with unusual speed and athleticism. None of his 16 opponents gave him much of a fight, including veterans Christopher Diaz, Joet Gonzalez and Toka Kahn Clary. Stevenson defeated Gonzalez by a near-shutout decision to win the vacant WBO featherweight title but vacated immediately to campaign at junior lightweight. He’s coming off a shutout of Jeremiah Nakathila in June.

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Jamel Herring vs. Shakur Stevenson: date, time, how to watch, weights, background

Jamel Herring vs. Shakur Stevenson: date, time, how to watch, background.

JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT TITLEHOLDER JAMEL HERRING WILL DEFEND HIS BELT AGAINST GIFTED SHAKUR STEVENSON IN A HUGE FIGHT FOR BOTH MEN ON SATURDAY.

JAMEL HERRING (23-2, 11 KOs) VS. SHAKUR STEVENSON (16-0, 8 KOs)

  • Date: Saturday, Oct. 23
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET / 4: 30 PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta
  • TV/Stream: ESPN and ESPN+
  • Cost: ESPN+ costs $6.99 per month or $69.99 annually
  • Division: Junior lightweights (130-pound limit)
  • Weights (from Friday’s weigh-in): Herring 129.8, Stevenson 130.0
  • At stake: Herring’s WBO title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Stevenson 6½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Nico Ali Walsh vs. James Westley, middleweights
  • Prediction: Stevenson UD
  • Background: This is one of the best-possible matchups in boxing, as Herring and Stevenson arguably are the two of the three best 130-pounders in the world, including Oscar Valdez. Herring, 35, is a late bloomer who overcame losses to Denis Shafikov and Ladarius Miller in 2016 and 2017 to build himself into a world champion, a distinction he earned by easily outpointing Masayuki Ito to win the WBO version of the title in May 2019. The tall (5-foot-10), rangy boxer from Cincinnati has successfully defended his belt three times, including an impressive sixth-round knockout of former Fighter of the Year Carl Frampton this past April. Stevenson, a 2016 Olympic silver medalist, is a polished boxer who has been blessed with unusual speed and athleticism. None of his 16 opponents gave him much of a fight, including veterans Christopher Diaz, Joet Gonzalez and Toka Kahn Clary. Stevenson defeated Gonzalez by a near-shutout decision to win the vacant WBO featherweight title but vacated immediately to campaign at junior lightweight. He’s coming off a shutout of Jeremiah Nakathila in June.

[lawrence-related id=19162,19128,21040,20989]

Jamel Herring vs. Shakur Stevenson: 5 questions – and answers – going into fight

Jamel Herring vs. Shakur Stevenson: 5 questions – and answers – going into their fight Saturday in Atlanta.

It doesn’t get much better than this.

Jamel Herring will defend his WBO 130-pound title against Shakur Stevenson on Saturday night in Atlanta (ESPN and ESPN+), a genuine best-vs.-best matchup.

Herring (23-2, 11 KOs) has established himself as one of the top lower-weight fighters and is coming off his biggest victory, a sixth-round knockout in April that sent Carl Frampton into retirement.

The former U.S. Marine, a late bloomer in boxing, is 35 but still going strong.

And Stevenson (16-0, 8 KOs) is widely considered one of the most-gifted boxers in the world and a candidate to become the pound-for-pound king one day.

The 2016 Olympic silver medalist, only 24, will be vying for a title in a second division.

Here are five questions – and answers – going into the pivotal fight.

Jamel Herring (left) and Shakur Stevenson, flanking promoter Bob Arum, will meet in the ring Saturday in Atlanta.  Kyle Hess / Top Rank via Getty Images

Is this the biggest test of Herring’s career?

Definitely. His sixth-round knockout of Frampton, a former Fighter of the Year, in April was impressive but the 34-year-old Irishman announced his retirement after the fight for a reason: He was no longer the fighter who won titles in two divisions. Stevenson doesn’t have the resume Frampton has but he’s more talented and is approaching his peak as a fighter. Herring will have to find a way to cope with unusual speed, athleticism and skills that have overwhelmed Stevenson’s opponents so far in his career. The younger fighter is about a 6½-1 favorite, which is remarkable given that Herring is the titleholder.

Is this the biggest test of Stevenson’s career?

Definitely. Stevenson has beaten some quality opponents, including Christopher Diaz, Joet Gonzalez (for a vacant 126-pound title) and Toka Kahn Clary. None are in Herring’s class. The tall (5-foot-10), rangy boxer rebounded from losses to Denis Shafikov and Ladarius Miller in 2016 and 2017 to build himself into a champion at 33 years old, which has garnered him considerable respect. He can box, he’s durable and, most important, he’s experienced. Stevenson might outbox Herring to win a decision but he’s going to have to work hard to do so. Herring won’t be giving anything away.

What are we to make of Herring’s ugly fight against Jonathan Oquendo?

Not much. Herring arguably quit in his fight against Oquendo in September of last year, which he won by an eighth-round disqualification because of repeated head butts by the Puerto Rican challenger. A clash of heads caused a deep cut over Herring’s right eye in Round 5. After Round 8, the referee asked Herring whether he could see and he said “no,” which ended the fight. Herring was so disgusted that he later considered retirement. However, he put the nasty affair and the negative mindset behind him by dominating Frampton in his next fight.

How good can Stevenson be?

The 2016 Olympic silver medalists has the tools, charisma and backing (Top Rank) to become one of the top figures in the sport, perhaps even the face of it. He’s that good. If he continues to dominate his opponents as he has so far, his rapid ascent will continue. That said, he might have two things working against him. One, he doesn’t punch particularly hard. That’s not a prerequisite to achieve great things but it helps. And, two, he has a lot of competition. Young stars like Gervonta Davis, Teofimo Lopez, Jaron Ennis and a few others are just as gifted as Stevenson and Davis, Lopez and Ennis all punch harder than Stevenson does. The race to the top among the young guns will be interesting.

Can the winner of this fight legitimately claim to be the best 130-pounder?

Not necessarily. Oscar Valdez, the WBC junior lightweight champion, delivered a defining knockout victory over Miguel Berchelt this past February. The Mexican’s reputation took a hit after he tested positive for a banned substance – yet was allowed to fight Robson Conceicao last month – but he still is arguably the top 130-pounder. Top Rank’s Bob Arum has said he will do everything in his power to pit Valdez against the winner of the Herring-Stevenson fight. For the record, Roger Gutierrez holds the WBA belt. The IBF title is vacant.

Jamel Herring vs. Shakur Stevenson: 5 questions – and answers – going into fight

Jamel Herring vs. Shakur Stevenson: 5 questions – and answers – going into their fight Saturday in Atlanta.

It doesn’t get much better than this.

Jamel Herring will defend his WBO 130-pound title against Shakur Stevenson on Saturday night in Atlanta (ESPN and ESPN+), a genuine best-vs.-best matchup.

Herring (23-2, 11 KOs) has established himself as one of the top lower-weight fighters and is coming off his biggest victory, a sixth-round knockout in April that sent Carl Frampton into retirement.

The former U.S. Marine, a late bloomer in boxing, is 35 but still going strong.

And Stevenson (16-0, 8 KOs) is widely considered one of the most-gifted boxers in the world and a candidate to become the pound-for-pound king one day.

The 2016 Olympic silver medalist, only 24, will be vying for a title in a second division.

Here are five questions – and answers – going into the pivotal fight.

Jamel Herring (left) and Shakur Stevenson, flanking promoter Bob Arum, will meet in the ring Saturday in Atlanta.  Kyle Hess / Top Rank via Getty Images

Is this the biggest test of Herring’s career?

Definitely. His sixth-round knockout of Frampton, a former Fighter of the Year, in April was impressive but the 34-year-old Irishman announced his retirement after the fight for a reason: He was no longer the fighter who won titles in two divisions. Stevenson doesn’t have the resume Frampton has but he’s more talented and is approaching his peak as a fighter. Herring will have to find a way to cope with unusual speed, athleticism and skills that have overwhelmed Stevenson’s opponents so far in his career. The younger fighter is about a 6½-1 favorite, which is remarkable given that Herring is the titleholder.

Is this the biggest test of Stevenson’s career?

Definitely. Stevenson has beaten some quality opponents, including Christopher Diaz, Joet Gonzalez (for a vacant 126-pound title) and Toka Kahn Clary. None are in Herring’s class. The tall (5-foot-10), rangy boxer rebounded from losses to Denis Shafikov and Ladarius Miller in 2016 and 2017 to build himself into a champion at 33 years old, which has garnered him considerable respect. He can box, he’s durable and, most important, he’s experienced. Stevenson might outbox Herring to win a decision but he’s going to have to work hard to do so. Herring won’t be giving anything away.

What are we to make of Herring’s ugly fight against Jonathan Oquendo?

Not much. Herring arguably quit in his fight against Oquendo in September of last year, which he won by an eighth-round disqualification because of repeated head butts by the Puerto Rican challenger. A clash of heads caused a deep cut over Herring’s right eye in Round 5. After Round 8, the referee asked Herring whether he could see and he said “no,” which ended the fight. Herring was so disgusted that he later considered retirement. However, he put the nasty affair and the negative mindset behind him by dominating Frampton in his next fight.

How good can Stevenson be?

The 2016 Olympic silver medalists has the tools, charisma and backing (Top Rank) to become one of the top figures in the sport, perhaps even the face of it. He’s that good. If he continues to dominate his opponents as he has so far, his rapid ascent will continue. That said, he might have two things working against him. One, he doesn’t punch particularly hard. That’s not a prerequisite to achieve great things but it helps. And, two, he has a lot of competition. Young stars like Gervonta Davis, Teofimo Lopez, Jaron Ennis and a few others are just as gifted as Stevenson and Davis, Lopez and Ennis all punch harder than Stevenson does. The race to the top among the young guns will be interesting.

Can the winner of this fight legitimately claim to be the best 130-pounder?

Not necessarily. Oscar Valdez, the WBC junior lightweight champion, delivered a defining knockout victory over Miguel Berchelt this past February. The Mexican’s reputation took a hit after he tested positive for a banned substance – yet was allowed to fight Robson Conceicao last month – but he still is arguably the top 130-pounder. Top Rank’s Bob Arum has said he will do everything in his power to pit Valdez against the winner of the Herring-Stevenson fight. For the record, Roger Gutierrez holds the WBA belt. The IBF title is vacant.

Fight Week: Jamel Herring, Shakur Stevenson set for compelling clash

Fight Week: Jamel Herring and Shakur Stevenson are set for compelling title clash on Saturday.

FIGHT WEEK

JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT TITLEHOLDER JAMEL HERRING WILL DEFEND HIS BELT AGAINST GIFTED SHAKUR STEVENSON IN A HUGE FIGHT FOR BOTH MEN ON SATURDAY.

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OSCAR RIVAS (27-1, 19 KOs) VS. RYAN ROZICKI (13-0, 13 KOs)

  • When: Friday, Oct. 22
  • Where: Olympia Theatre, Montreal
  • TV/Stream: ESPN+
  • Division: Bridgerweight (224-pound limit)
  • At stake: Vacant WBC title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: NA
  • Also on the card: Sebastien Bouchard vs. Sergio Ortega, welterweights; Steve Rolls vs. Gregory Trenel, super middleweights
  • Prediction: Rivas KO 5
  • Background: The winner of this fight will become the inaugural champion of the newly created division between heavyweight and cruiserweight, the brainchild of the WBC. Rivas, a career-long heavyweight who is 6 foot, ½ inch, has some credentials. He stopped one-time heavyweight title challenger Bryant Jennings in January 2019 and was competitive in a unanimous-decision loss to Dillian Whyte six months later. He weighed 239¼ pounds for the Whyte fight but dropped down to 221¼ for his most-recent bout, a third-round stoppage of Sylvera Louis in March. He’s a natural bridgerweight, if there is such a thing. Rivas was scheduled to face Jennings again for the “title” but the American reportedly pulled out over quarantine restrictions related to COVID-19. He was replaced by Rozicki, a relative unknown who has fought as a cruiserweight his entire career. The Canadian has never faced an elite opponent and has taken part in only two scheduled 10-round bout yet is fighting for what the WBC calls a world championship.

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JAMEL HERRING (23-2, 11 KOs) VS. SHAKUR STEVENSON (16-0, 8 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, Oct. 23
  • Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta
  • TV/Stream: ESPN and ESPN+
  • Division: Junior lightweights
  • At stake: Herring’s WBO title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Stevenson 6½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Nico Ali Walsh vs. James Westley, middleweights
  • Prediction: Stevenson UD
  • Background: This is one of the best-possible matchups in boxing, as Herring and Stevenson arguably are the two of the three best 130-pounders in the world, including Oscar Valdez. Herring, 35, is a late bloomer who overcame losses to Denis Shafikov and Ladarius Miller in 2016 and 2017 to build himself into a world champion, a distinction he earned by easily outpointing Masayuki Ito to win the WBO version of the title in May 2019. The tall (5-foot-10), rangy boxer from Cincinnati has successfully defended his belt three times, including an impressive sixth-round knockout of former Fighter of the Year Carl Frampton this past April. Stevenson, a 2016 Olympic silver medalist, is a polished boxer who has been blessed with unusual speed and athleticism. None of his 16 opponents gave him much of a fight, including veterans Christopher Diaz, Joet Gonzalez and Toka Kahn Clary. Stevenson defeated Gonzalez by a near-shutout decision to win the vacant WBO featherweight title but vacated immediately to campaign at junior lightweight. He’s coming off a shutout of Jeremiah Nakathila in June.

Also fighting this weekend: Ganigan Lopez (36-11, 19 KOs) will face Jose Soto Munoz (15-0, 6 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round junior bantamweight fight in Mexico City (Telemundo).

[lawrence-related id=19162,19128,21040,20989]

Fight Week: Jamel Herring, Shakur Stevenson set for compelling clash

Fight Week: Jamel Herring and Shakur Stevenson are set for compelling title clash on Saturday.

FIGHT WEEK

JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT TITLEHOLDER JAMEL HERRING WILL DEFEND HIS BELT AGAINST GIFTED SHAKUR STEVENSON IN A HUGE FIGHT FOR BOTH MEN ON SATURDAY.

***

OSCAR RIVAS (27-1, 19 KOs) VS. RYAN ROZICKI (13-0, 13 KOs)

  • When: Friday, Oct. 22
  • Where: Olympia Theatre, Montreal
  • TV/Stream: ESPN+
  • Division: Bridgerweight (224-pound limit)
  • At stake: Vacant WBC title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: NA
  • Also on the card: Sebastien Bouchard vs. Sergio Ortega, welterweights; Steve Rolls vs. Gregory Trenel, super middleweights
  • Prediction: Rivas KO 5
  • Background: The winner of this fight will become the inaugural champion of the newly created division between heavyweight and cruiserweight, the brainchild of the WBC. Rivas, a career-long heavyweight who is 6 foot, ½ inch, has some credentials. He stopped one-time heavyweight title challenger Bryant Jennings in January 2019 and was competitive in a unanimous-decision loss to Dillian Whyte six months later. He weighed 239¼ pounds for the Whyte fight but dropped down to 221¼ for his most-recent bout, a third-round stoppage of Sylvera Louis in March. He’s a natural bridgerweight, if there is such a thing. Rivas was scheduled to face Jennings again for the “title” but the American reportedly pulled out over quarantine restrictions related to COVID-19. He was replaced by Rozicki, a relative unknown who has fought as a cruiserweight his entire career. The Canadian has never faced an elite opponent and has taken part in only two scheduled 10-round bout yet is fighting for what the WBC calls a world championship.

***

JAMEL HERRING (23-2, 11 KOs) VS. SHAKUR STEVENSON (16-0, 8 KOs)

  • When: Saturday, Oct. 23
  • Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta
  • TV/Stream: ESPN and ESPN+
  • Division: Junior lightweights
  • At stake: Herring’s WBO title
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Stevenson 6½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Nico Ali Walsh vs. James Westley, middleweights
  • Prediction: Stevenson UD
  • Background: This is one of the best-possible matchups in boxing, as Herring and Stevenson arguably are the two of the three best 130-pounders in the world, including Oscar Valdez. Herring, 35, is a late bloomer who overcame losses to Denis Shafikov and Ladarius Miller in 2016 and 2017 to build himself into a world champion, a distinction he earned by easily outpointing Masayuki Ito to win the WBO version of the title in May 2019. The tall (5-foot-10), rangy boxer from Cincinnati has successfully defended his belt three times, including an impressive sixth-round knockout of former Fighter of the Year Carl Frampton this past April. Stevenson, a 2016 Olympic silver medalist, is a polished boxer who has been blessed with unusual speed and athleticism. None of his 16 opponents gave him much of a fight, including veterans Christopher Diaz, Joet Gonzalez and Toka Kahn Clary. Stevenson defeated Gonzalez by a near-shutout decision to win the vacant WBO featherweight title but vacated immediately to campaign at junior lightweight. He’s coming off a shutout of Jeremiah Nakathila in June.

Also fighting this weekend: Ganigan Lopez (36-11, 19 KOs) will face Jose Soto Munoz (15-0, 6 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round junior bantamweight fight in Mexico City (Telemundo).

[lawrence-related id=19162,19128,21040,20989]