Tag: Shakur Stevenson

Pound-for-pound: Does Shakur Stevenson’s uninspiring performance impact him?

Pound-for-pound: Does Shakur Stevenson’s uninspiring performance impact him?

Shakur Stevenson remained unbeaten and won a major title in a third division but managed to draw criticism at the same time.

That’s because he refused to engage Edwin De Los Santos in his unanimous decision victory Thursday night in Las Vegas, throwing a paltry average of 17 punches per round in a boring fight.

Does that mean Stevenson — ranked No. 13 by Boxing Junkie going into the fight — drops down or falls off the list?

No.

One, he won the fight. Two, his skill set — particularly his defensive ability — was on clear display. And, three, everyone has off nights, even someone as talented as he is.

So we decided to give Stevenson the benefit of the doubt for now and then see how he does in his next fight, which could come against a more formidable opponent than De Los Santos.

We’ll add this, though: He can’t expect to barely win horrible fights and ascend to the top of the list.

Next pound-for-pounder up: Honorable Mention David Benavidez is scheduled to face Demetrius Andrade on Nov. 25 in Las Vegas (pay-per-view).

On the same card, Honorable Mention Jermall Charlo will face Jose Benavidez Jr.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder Marlon Tapales for the undisputed 122-pound championship on Dec. 26 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to defend his 175-pound title against Lyndon Arthur on Dec. 23 in Saudi Arabia.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – Reportedly in talks with Honorable Mention Kazuto Ioka for a title-unification New Year’s Eve bout in Japan.
  6. Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  11. Vasiliy Lomachenko – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to defend his 175-pound titles against Callum Smith on Jan. 13 in Quebec City, Canada.
  13. Shakur Stevenson – No fight scheduled.
  14. Roman Gonzalez – No fight scheduled.
  15. Devin Haney – Scheduled to challenge 140-pound titleholder Regis Prograis on Dec. 9 in San Francisco.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (scheduled to face Demetrius Andrade on Nov. 25 in Las Vegas); Jermall Charlo (scheduled to face Jose Benavidez Jr. on Nov. 25 in Las Vegas); Sunny Edwards (scheduled to face Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez in a 112-pound title-unification bout on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Arizona); Kazuto Ioka (reportedly in talks with No. 6 Juan Francisco Estrada for a title-unification New Year’s Eve bout in Japan); Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (scheduled to face Sunny Edwards in a 112-pound title-unification bout on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Arizona).

[lawrence-related id=39510,39507,39503,39500,39495,39488]

Pound-for-pound: Does Shakur Stevenson’s uninspiring performance impact him?

Pound-for-pound: Does Shakur Stevenson’s uninspiring performance impact him?

Shakur Stevenson remained unbeaten and won a major title in a third division but managed to draw criticism at the same time.

That’s because he refused to engage Edwin De Los Santos in his unanimous decision victory Thursday night in Las Vegas, throwing a paltry average of 17 punches per round in a boring fight.

Does that mean Stevenson — ranked No. 13 by Boxing Junkie going into the fight — drops down or falls off the list?

No.

One, he won the fight. Two, his skill set — particularly his defensive ability — was on clear display. And, three, everyone has off nights, even someone as talented as he is.

So we decided to give Stevenson the benefit of the doubt for now and then see how he does in his next fight, which could come against a more formidable opponent than De Los Santos.

We’ll add this, though: He can’t expect to barely win horrible fights and ascend to the top of the list.

Next pound-for-pounder up: Honorable Mention David Benavidez is scheduled to face Demetrius Andrade on Nov. 25 in Las Vegas (pay-per-view).

On the same card, Honorable Mention Jermall Charlo will face Jose Benavidez Jr.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder Marlon Tapales for the undisputed 122-pound championship on Dec. 26 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to defend his 175-pound title against Lyndon Arthur on Dec. 23 in Saudi Arabia.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – Reportedly in talks with Honorable Mention Kazuto Ioka for a title-unification New Year’s Eve bout in Japan.
  6. Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  11. Vasiliy Lomachenko – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to defend his 175-pound titles against Callum Smith on Jan. 13 in Quebec City, Canada.
  13. Shakur Stevenson – No fight scheduled.
  14. Roman Gonzalez – No fight scheduled.
  15. Devin Haney – Scheduled to challenge 140-pound titleholder Regis Prograis on Dec. 9 in San Francisco.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (scheduled to face Demetrius Andrade on Nov. 25 in Las Vegas); Jermall Charlo (scheduled to face Jose Benavidez Jr. on Nov. 25 in Las Vegas); Sunny Edwards (scheduled to face Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez in a 112-pound title-unification bout on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Arizona); Kazuto Ioka (reportedly in talks with No. 6 Juan Francisco Estrada for a title-unification New Year’s Eve bout in Japan); Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (scheduled to face Sunny Edwards in a 112-pound title-unification bout on Dec. 16 in Glendale, Arizona).

[lawrence-related id=39510,39507,39503,39500,39495,39488]

Shakur Stevenson has work to do to repair his reputation after debacle

Shakur Stevenson has work to do to repair his reputation after debacle against Edwin De Los Santos on Thursday in Las Vegas.

Is it over?

Sorry. I fell asleep sometime in the middle of the Shakur Stevenson-Edwin De Los Santos “fight” on Thursday night in Las Vegas. I suspect I wasn’t the only one who dozed off. A total of 105 punches landed – an average of less than 10 per round – would send even a hardcore boxing fan into slumber.

And that’s not good news for Stevenson.

The new 135-pound titleholder, as gifted as anyone in the world, has designs on becoming the face of boxing. His performance against De Los Santos was a step in the opposite direction.

It was exactly what Stevenson (21-0, 10 KOs) said it was: “A bad performance.”

Stevenson did enough to win a unanimous decision and a vacant belt but his unwillingness to take significant risks against the hard-punching De Los Santos (16-2, 14 KOs) in the process undoubtedly turned off fans around the globe.

The lack of action in the fight certainly disappointed the spectators at T-Mobile Arena, who booed with more passion than the boxers fought.

How damaging to Stevenson’s reputation was the performance?

Well, let’s not overreact. There might’ve been a reason for Stevenson’s reticence beyond his typical hit-and-not-be-hit style. Some have speculated that the southpaw had a problem with left hand (or perhaps his arm or shoulder).

That could at least partly explain the fact he threw only 54 power punches, connecting on a mere 19.

Stevenson was asked immediately after the fight whether he fought with an injury but wouldn’t provide a direct answer, instead only implying that there might’ve been a problem.

“I don’t got nothing to say about that. I don’t make excuses. It happens. We go through a lot as fighters,” said Stevenson, whose instincts to take responsibility for his subpar performance should be applauded.

Maybe Stevenson did have an injury. And maybe he’ll revert to the fighter who showed signs of being more aggressive in his previous few fights, which undoubtedly was the result of those who openly have questioned his punching power.

However, at the moment, one of the worst title fights in recent memory remains at the forefront of our minds.

Having your hand raised is the primary objective in boxing, as Stevenson suggested when he said in the ring, “That’s all I wanted to do.” And victories can pay big dividends. Good paydays, major titles and recognition of your ability come with success.

Winning isn’t enough, though, at least if you hope to become iconic. Fans want to be entertained, not anesthetized. And there was nothing entertaining about Stevenson’s performance against De Los Santos unless his elusiveness was enough to satisfy you.

Floyd Mayweather was a safety-first fighter in the latter part of his career but he scored many knockouts as he built his fanbase in his formative years and was a master self-marketer, which captured the imagination of fans.

It’s safe to say there will never be another Floyd Mayweather, meaning it’s unfair to expect Stevenson to aspire to that.

Andre Ward, another sublime boxer, had neither the entertaining style nor the ability to sell himself. As a result, he was a generational talent that didn’t resonate with fans. This could be Stevenson’s fate if he doesn’t take more risks in the ring.

That doesn’t mean Stevenson should suddenly become an aggressive, knockout-oriented fighter who walks down his foes. That approach wouldn’t play to his strengths, particularly his uncanny ability to avoid taking clean punches.

It does mean that he might want to take just enough risks to break down opponents and then find his killer instinct to take them out if the opportunities are there. Perhaps he could watch more videos of Terence Crawford, a talented technician with a seek-and-destroy mentality.

Yes, Crawford takes more punches than Stevenson does but that’s acceptable if you consider the results: “Bud” probably hasn’t heard a single boo in his career.

I won’t be surprised if Stevenson becomes the fighter and attraction he wants to be. Everyone agrees that the skillset is there. And while he’ll never be a one-punch knockout artist, I believe he’ll learn from his experience on Thursday and grow.

He could make subtle, measured changes that will allow him to become a more entertaining fighter, remain the boxing wizard he has become and continue to do what he has always done, which is to win fights.

If he does that, he could silence those boos forever and become a legend.

[lawrence-related id=39704,39682]

Shakur Stevenson has work to do to repair his reputation after debacle

Shakur Stevenson has work to do to repair his reputation after debacle against Edwin De Los Santos on Thursday in Las Vegas.

Is it over?

Sorry. I fell asleep sometime in the middle of the Shakur Stevenson-Edwin De Los Santos “fight” on Thursday night in Las Vegas. I suspect I wasn’t the only one who dozed off. A total of 105 punches landed – an average of less than 10 per round – would send even a hardcore boxing fan into slumber.

And that’s not good news for Stevenson.

The new 135-pound titleholder, as gifted as anyone in the world, has designs on becoming the face of boxing. His performance against De Los Santos was a step in the opposite direction.

It was exactly what Stevenson (21-0, 10 KOs) said it was: “A bad performance.”

Stevenson did enough to win a unanimous decision and a vacant belt but his unwillingness to take significant risks against the hard-punching De Los Santos (16-2, 14 KOs) in the process undoubtedly turned off fans around the globe.

The lack of action in the fight certainly disappointed the spectators at T-Mobile Arena, who booed with more passion than the boxers fought.

How damaging to Stevenson’s reputation was the performance?

Well, let’s not overreact. There might’ve been a reason for Stevenson’s reticence beyond his typical hit-and-not-be-hit style. Some have speculated that the southpaw had a problem with left hand (or perhaps his arm or shoulder).

That could at least partly explain the fact he threw only 54 power punches, connecting on a mere 19.

Stevenson was asked immediately after the fight whether he fought with an injury but wouldn’t provide a direct answer, instead only implying that there might’ve been a problem.

“I don’t got nothing to say about that. I don’t make excuses. It happens. We go through a lot as fighters,” said Stevenson, whose instincts to take responsibility for his subpar performance should be applauded.

Maybe Stevenson did have an injury. And maybe he’ll revert to the fighter who showed signs of being more aggressive in his previous few fights, which undoubtedly was the result of those who openly have questioned his punching power.

However, at the moment, one of the worst title fights in recent memory remains at the forefront of our minds.

Having your hand raised is the primary objective in boxing, as Stevenson suggested when he said in the ring, “That’s all I wanted to do.” And victories can pay big dividends. Good paydays, major titles and recognition of your ability come with success.

Winning isn’t enough, though, at least if you hope to become iconic. Fans want to be entertained, not anesthetized. And there was nothing entertaining about Stevenson’s performance against De Los Santos unless his elusiveness was enough to satisfy you.

Floyd Mayweather was a safety-first fighter in the latter part of his career but he scored many knockouts as he built his fanbase in his formative years and was a master self-marketer, which captured the imagination of fans.

It’s safe to say there will never be another Floyd Mayweather, meaning it’s unfair to expect Stevenson to aspire to that.

Andre Ward, another sublime boxer, had neither the entertaining style nor the ability to sell himself. As a result, he was a generational talent that didn’t resonate with fans. This could be Stevenson’s fate if he doesn’t take more risks in the ring.

That doesn’t mean Stevenson should suddenly become an aggressive, knockout-oriented fighter who walks down his foes. That approach wouldn’t play to his strengths, particularly his uncanny ability to avoid taking clean punches.

It does mean that he might want to take just enough risks to break down opponents and then find his killer instinct to take them out if the opportunities are there. Perhaps he could watch more videos of Terence Crawford, a talented technician with a seek-and-destroy mentality.

Yes, Crawford takes more punches than Stevenson does but that’s acceptable if you consider the results: “Bud” probably hasn’t heard a single boo in his career.

I won’t be surprised if Stevenson becomes the fighter and attraction he wants to be. Everyone agrees that the skillset is there. And while he’ll never be a one-punch knockout artist, I believe he’ll learn from his experience on Thursday and grow.

He could make subtle, measured changes that will allow him to become a more entertaining fighter, remain the boxing wizard he has become and continue to do what he has always done, which is to win fights.

If he does that, he could silence those boos forever and become a legend.

[lawrence-related id=39704,39682]

Shakur Stevenson wins stinker to capture title in third division

Shakur Stevenson outpointed Edwin De Los Santos in a boring fight to capture a major title in a third division Thursday in Las Vegas.

Shakur Stevenson won another title but few fans on Thursday in Las Vegas.

The boxing wizard from New Jersey left no doubt that he is far superior to opponent Edwin De Los Santos, comfortably winning a unanimous decision and the vacant WBC 130-pound title.

Stevenson (21-0, 10 KOs) has now won major belts in three division in a span of only nine fights, which speaks to his unusual ability.

De Los Santos’ problem on Thursday was his inability to hit one of the best defensive fights of his generation. The Dominican chased Stevenson much of the fight but landed a pathetic total of 40 punches, according to CompuBox.

That’s the fewest punches landed in a 12-round fight in CompuBox’s 38-year history.

Stevenson had a similar problem, though: He landed only 65 punches himself because he didn’t take the risks necessary to do so against an opponent known for his power. The winner landed only 19 power shots (to 14 for De Los Santos).

That’s why the disappointed spectators at T-Mobile Arena booed loudly at several points in what was a painfully boring fight.

And it’s probably why the scoring (116-112, 116-112 and 115-113) was closer than it probably should’ve been. If the fighters land few punches, the aggressor – which was De Los Santos in most rounds – will often get the nod.

The only punch that landed with any consistency in the fight was Stevenson’s right jab, which found De Los Santos’ head 46 times. That evidently was the difference in the scoring.

Stevenson acknowledged that it wasn’t his best night.

“I had a bad performance tonight,” he said. “That’s all I’m really focused on. I wasn’t feeling too good, so I’ll live with it. It’s OK. I came here and got the victory, and that’s all I wanted to do.

“I just didn’t feel good. I didn’t feel good before the fight. Honestly, I had already told myself that if I feel like this in the ring and if it’s not going well, I’m going to make sure that I box and get the victory.”

Meanwhile, De Los Santos expressed his frustration with Stevenson’s tactics.

“We all know what happened,” he said. “He came for a track meet. He didn’t come to fight. I showed that I am on a higher level because he never stood and fought like he does with other fighters.

“I did my job. He came to survive. That’s what he did. They gifted him the title, but I’m the people’s champion.”

Neither Stevenson nor De Los Santos was the people’s champion on Thursday night.

Shakur Stevenson wins stinker to capture title in third division

Shakur Stevenson outpointed Edwin De Los Santos in a boring fight to capture a major title in a third division Thursday in Las Vegas.

Shakur Stevenson won another title but few fans on Thursday in Las Vegas.

The boxing wizard from New Jersey left no doubt that he is far superior to opponent Edwin De Los Santos, comfortably winning a unanimous decision and the vacant WBC 130-pound title.

Stevenson (21-0, 10 KOs) has now won major belts in three division in a span of only nine fights, which speaks to his unusual ability.

De Los Santos’ problem on Thursday was his inability to hit one of the best defensive fights of his generation. The Dominican chased Stevenson much of the fight but landed a pathetic total of 40 punches, according to CompuBox.

That’s the fewest punches landed in a 12-round fight in CompuBox’s 38-year history.

Stevenson had a similar problem, though: He landed only 65 punches himself because he didn’t take the risks necessary to do so against an opponent known for his power. The winner landed only 19 power shots (to 14 for De Los Santos).

That’s why the disappointed spectators at T-Mobile Arena booed loudly at several points in what was a painfully boring fight.

And it’s probably why the scoring (116-112, 116-112 and 115-113) was closer than it probably should’ve been. If the fighters land few punches, the aggressor – which was De Los Santos in most rounds – will often get the nod.

The only punch that landed with any consistency in the fight was Stevenson’s right jab, which found De Los Santos’ head 46 times. That evidently was the difference in the scoring.

Stevenson acknowledged that it wasn’t his best night.

“I had a bad performance tonight,” he said. “That’s all I’m really focused on. I wasn’t feeling too good, so I’ll live with it. It’s OK. I came here and got the victory, and that’s all I wanted to do.

“I just didn’t feel good. I didn’t feel good before the fight. Honestly, I had already told myself that if I feel like this in the ring and if it’s not going well, I’m going to make sure that I box and get the victory.”

Meanwhile, De Los Santos expressed his frustration with Stevenson’s tactics.

“We all know what happened,” he said. “He came for a track meet. He didn’t come to fight. I showed that I am on a higher level because he never stood and fought like he does with other fighters.

“I did my job. He came to survive. That’s what he did. They gifted him the title, but I’m the people’s champion.”

Neither Stevenson nor De Los Santos was the people’s champion on Thursday night.

Emanuel Navarrete, Robson Conceicao fight to majority draw

Junior lightweight titleholder Emanuel Navarrete and Robson Conceicao fought to a majority draw on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Emanuel Navarrete is fortunate he still has a major belt.
The WBO 130-pound titleholder from Mexico and Brazilian Robson Conceicao, who went down twice, fought to a majority draw on the Shakur Stevenson-Edwin De Los Santos card Thursday in Las Vegas.

One judge scored it 114-112 for Navarrete but the other two had it 113-113. Boxing Junkie also had it 113-113.

Conceicao, making his third attempt to win a major title, hit the canvas in Rounds 4 and 7 but outworked an opponent known for his volume punching in the majority of the other rounds.

Navarrete (38-1-1, 31 KOs) landed the harder punches, which obviously caught the judges’ attention, and seemed to wear down Conceicao (17-2-1, 8 KOs) as the fight progressed.

However, Conceicao, relying heavily on his determination, continued to fight hard, took all but the two shots that put him down and avoided many others with his superior technical ability.

According to CompuBox, Conceicao landed almost 100 more punches than Navarette overall, 213 of 852 to 116 of 487. Conceicao also landed more power shots, 101-95.

Neither man complained afterward.

“The decision is well-deserved,” Navarrete said. “Robson is a great fighter. He left his heart in the ring. There were some details with regard to technique, but we accomplished what we said we would do.

“We gave a great show for the fans. And, at least, I am very happy to come away with the title. He deserves the rematch, but that decision doesn’t depend 100 percent on me.

“But, if it does happen, I would train even better. He knows how I fight, and I know how he fights, so it would make for an excellent fight.”

Said Conceicao, “It was a hard fight. He is very strong. It was a difficult. But I know what I did tonight. It was a good fight. It deserves a rematch. If we do get the rematch, we will both train harder and will give an even better fight.”

Navarrete, a three-division beltholder, was making the second defense of his WBO title.

The 35-year-old Conceicao, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist, is now 0-2-1 in major title fights.

Emanuel Navarrete, Robson Conceicao fight to majority draw

Junior lightweight titleholder Emanuel Navarrete and Robson Conceicao fought to a majority draw on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Emanuel Navarrete is fortunate he still has a major belt.
The WBO 130-pound titleholder from Mexico and Brazilian Robson Conceicao, who went down twice, fought to a majority draw on the Shakur Stevenson-Edwin De Los Santos card Thursday in Las Vegas.

One judge scored it 114-112 for Navarrete but the other two had it 113-113. Boxing Junkie also had it 113-113.

Conceicao, making his third attempt to win a major title, hit the canvas in Rounds 4 and 7 but outworked an opponent known for his volume punching in the majority of the other rounds.

Navarrete (38-1-1, 31 KOs) landed the harder punches, which obviously caught the judges’ attention, and seemed to wear down Conceicao (17-2-1, 8 KOs) as the fight progressed.

However, Conceicao, relying heavily on his determination, continued to fight hard, took all but the two shots that put him down and avoided many others with his superior technical ability.

According to CompuBox, Conceicao landed almost 100 more punches than Navarette overall, 213 of 852 to 116 of 487. Conceicao also landed more power shots, 101-95.

Neither man complained afterward.

“The decision is well-deserved,” Navarrete said. “Robson is a great fighter. He left his heart in the ring. There were some details with regard to technique, but we accomplished what we said we would do.

“We gave a great show for the fans. And, at least, I am very happy to come away with the title. He deserves the rematch, but that decision doesn’t depend 100 percent on me.

“But, if it does happen, I would train even better. He knows how I fight, and I know how he fights, so it would make for an excellent fight.”

Said Conceicao, “It was a hard fight. He is very strong. It was a difficult. But I know what I did tonight. It was a good fight. It deserves a rematch. If we do get the rematch, we will both train harder and will give an even better fight.”

Navarrete, a three-division beltholder, was making the second defense of his WBO title.

The 35-year-old Conceicao, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist, is now 0-2-1 in major title fights.

Shakur Stevenson vs. Edwin De Los Santos: LIVE updates, official results, full coverage

Shakur Stevenson vs. Edwin De Los Santos: LIVE updates, official results, full coverage.

Shakur Stevenson used defense as his primary weapon to defeat Edwin De Los Santos by a one-sided decision and win a vacant 135-pound world title Thursday in Las Vegas, making Stevenson a three-division champion.

The official scores were 116-112, 116-112 and 115-113. Boxing Junkie scored it 118-110 for Stevenson, 10 rounds to two.

Stevenson (21-0, 10 KOs) didn’t win any fans with his defense-first tactics but he dominated De Los Santos (16-2, 14 KOs), who couldn’t figure out a way to hit Stevenson more than a few times a round.

The winner didn’t land many shots either, as he took few risks. However, he jabbed well at times and landed some eye-catching counters when a desperate De Los Santos rushed toward him.

The lack of action drew boos from the disappointed spectators at T-Mobile Arena multiple times during what was a boring fight.

Stevenson has won titles in three divisions in a span of nine fights, which speaks to his unusual skill set. He won the title stripped from Devin Haney, who is moving up to 140 to face Regis Prograis.

A full report will follow shortly.

***

WBO 130-pound titleholder Emanuel Navarrete and Robson Conceicao, who went down twice, fought to a majority draw on the Shakur Stevenson-Edwin De Los Santos card Thursday in Las Vegas.

One judge scored it 114-112 for Navarrete but the other two had it 113-113. Boxing Junkie also had it 113-113.

Conceicao, making his third attempt to win a major title, hit the canvas in Rounds 4 and 7 but outworked a Mexican opponent known for his volume punching in the majority of the other rounds.

Navarrete (38-1-1, 31 KOs) landed the harder punches and seemed to wear down Conceicao (17-2-1, 8 KOs) as the fight progressed.

However, the Brazilian, relying heavily on his determination, continued to work hard, took all but the two shots that put him down and avoided many others with his superior technical ability.

Navarrete, a three-division beltholder, was making the second defense of his WBO title.

The 35-year-old Conceicao, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist, is now 0-2-1 in major title fights.

***

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 (ESPN, ESPN+).

Also, in the co-feature, 130-pound champ Emanuel Navarrete will defend his belt against Robson Conceicao.

Navarrete-Conceicao is scheduled to begin a few minutes after 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT. The main event will take place later in the show.

Boxing Junkie will post updates immediately after those fights end. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes.

Full coverage – fight stories, analysis and more – will follow on separate posts the night of the show and the following day.

Stevenson (20-0, 10 KOs) 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 on the unusual Thursday-night show.

De Los Santos (16-1, 14 KOs) has won three consecutive fights since he lost a split decision to William Foster III in January of last year

Enjoy the fights!

[lawrence-related id=39109,39092,39060,39057,39055,39026,39015,38983,38970,38956]

Shakur Stevenson vs. Edwin De Los Santos: LIVE updates, official results, full coverage

Shakur Stevenson vs. Edwin De Los Santos: LIVE updates, official results, full coverage.

Shakur Stevenson used defense as his primary weapon to defeat Edwin De Los Santos by a one-sided decision and win a vacant 135-pound world title Thursday in Las Vegas, making Stevenson a three-division champion.

The official scores were 116-112, 116-112 and 115-113. Boxing Junkie scored it 118-110 for Stevenson, 10 rounds to two.

Stevenson (21-0, 10 KOs) didn’t win any fans with his defense-first tactics but he dominated De Los Santos (16-2, 14 KOs), who couldn’t figure out a way to hit Stevenson more than a few times a round.

The winner didn’t land many shots either, as he took few risks. However, he jabbed well at times and landed some eye-catching counters when a desperate De Los Santos rushed toward him.

The lack of action drew boos from the disappointed spectators at T-Mobile Arena multiple times during what was a boring fight.

Stevenson has won titles in three divisions in a span of nine fights, which speaks to his unusual skill set. He won the title stripped from Devin Haney, who is moving up to 140 to face Regis Prograis.

A full report will follow shortly.

***

WBO 130-pound titleholder Emanuel Navarrete and Robson Conceicao, who went down twice, fought to a majority draw on the Shakur Stevenson-Edwin De Los Santos card Thursday in Las Vegas.

One judge scored it 114-112 for Navarrete but the other two had it 113-113. Boxing Junkie also had it 113-113.

Conceicao, making his third attempt to win a major title, hit the canvas in Rounds 4 and 7 but outworked a Mexican opponent known for his volume punching in the majority of the other rounds.

Navarrete (38-1-1, 31 KOs) landed the harder punches and seemed to wear down Conceicao (17-2-1, 8 KOs) as the fight progressed.

However, the Brazilian, relying heavily on his determination, continued to work hard, took all but the two shots that put him down and avoided many others with his superior technical ability.

Navarrete, a three-division beltholder, was making the second defense of his WBO title.

The 35-year-old Conceicao, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist, is now 0-2-1 in major title fights.

***

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 (ESPN, ESPN+).

Also, in the co-feature, 130-pound champ Emanuel Navarrete will defend his belt against Robson Conceicao.

Navarrete-Conceicao is scheduled to begin a few minutes after 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT. The main event will take place later in the show.

Boxing Junkie will post updates immediately after those fights end. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes.

Full coverage – fight stories, analysis and more – will follow on separate posts the night of the show and the following day.

Stevenson (20-0, 10 KOs) 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 on the unusual Thursday-night show.

De Los Santos (16-1, 14 KOs) has won three consecutive fights since he lost a split decision to William Foster III in January of last year

Enjoy the fights!

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