Photos - Mikey Williams/Top Rank via Getty Images
It was big victory for Shakur Stevenson (18-0, 9 KOs) of Newark, New Jersey as he won a unanimous decision over previously undefeated and now former world champion Oscar Valdez (30-1, 23 KOs) of Tucson by way of Nogales, Sonora Mexico in unifying the WBC and WBO super featherweight world titles Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Valdez feinted and unloaded a body shot as Stevenson countered with a big right to begin the fight. Stevenson popped the jab and was active in the opening round as Valdez mostly feinted and worked his way inside staying close. The hand speed was evident for Stevenson in round two as Valdez was on the receiving end of Shakur’s combinations, shortly after Valdez pressured and connected with solid body shots. Valdez kept up with Shakur in the third round, backing Stevenson timing with the straight right and connecting to the body as Valdez was on the hunt lurking. In the fourth round, Valdez cornered Stevenson momentarily, but Shakur kept the fast pace letting his hands go, Shakur complained to referee Kenny Bayless about Valdez holding on the clinch.
The pressure continued from Valdez as he kept connecting with the right hand and roughing up Stevenson to the corner, but Shakur hands were too fast as he continued to paint and tally up points with combinations. At the halfway point in the sixth, Valdez rushed out of the corner as Stevenson countered scoring the first knockdown of the fight. Staying close in the seventh, Valdez kept the pressure and backed Stevenson to the ropes timing with the right hand. Valdez continued to stay close shooting the right, but Shakur’s hands speed was too much.
Attacking the body to start the ninth, Valdez stayed close as Stevenson boxed away. Coming out aggressive in round ten, Valdez sensed the urgency letting his hands go to start the round as the right was consistent for Valdez. Chasing away late in the fight, time was running out for Valdez as Stevenson kept boxing, later in the round referee Kenny Bayless warned Stevenson for stiff arming with the right. The twelfth and final round, Valdez went straight at the flashy and elusive Stevenson as Shakur kept his distance, Valdez fought on Shakur was conservative watching the clock and running away with the victory.
After twelve rounds the judges scored the fight 118-109, 118-109, and 117-110 all three in favor of Shakur Stevenson as he unifies the WBC and WBO super featherweight titles.
“This victory means everything. I told ya’ll what I was going to do. I said I’m gonna beat Valdez, Canelo and Eddy Reynoso, so that was my gameplan, beat the whole team and I feel good about it. Much respect to them, but that was my gameplan.” Stevenson said.
Here is what Oscar Valdez said.
“He has great boxing skills. He was just the better fighter this night.”
“He did what he had to do to win the fight.”
2020 U.S. Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis (5-0, 4 KOs) was impressive in stopping Esteban Sanchez (18-2, 8 KOs) in six rounds. It was a feel out round in the first as Davis and Sanchez used the jab and boxed at a slow pace. Davis poked with the jab in round two as Sanchez came straight in eating leather. Exchanging in the center to begin the fourth round, Davis connected Sanchez with solid punches. Unloading with combinations in the fifth, Davis began to breakdown Sanchez. Davis finished him off in the sixth as the referee Robert Hoyle had seen enough stopping the fight at 2:44.
“He’s a great fighter, and I didn’t realize that until the first round. I said, ‘Whoa, he can fight!’ I knew I had to snap into a different Keyshawn. He’s a great fighter, a real respectful fighter. Hat’s off to Esteban Sanchez. Thank you for this opportunity. We should see a lot of Esteban Sanchez in the future.”
“I just kept staying steady, staying with my rhythm. My coach, {Brian McIntyre}, kept telling me to go the body. I was trying to stab him a lot in the rounds, and honestly, I was just picking up round after round. I loved this fight because it challenged me. I felt challenged in the ring. I was happy I got a great performance and the stoppage.”
Opening the ESPN telecast, middleweight Nico Ali Walsh (5-0, 4 KOs), the grandson of the Greatest, Muhammad Ali scored a devastating first-round knockout over Alejandro Ibarra (7-2, 2 KOs). A left hook followed by a huge right by Ali Walsh put Ibarra on the canvas as referee Russell Mora stopped the fight 2:50 of the first.
Preliminary Bouts
Fontana, California’s undefeated lightweight Raymond Muratalla (14-0, 12 KOs), scored an impressive third round knockout over Jeremy Hill (16-3, 11 KO’s) from New Orleans. A hard right hand by Muratalla dropped Hill in the second as he continued to fight. Muratalla continued his attack connecting with a left uppercut, right hand combo sending Hill to the canvas for the final time as referee Tony Weeks stopped the fight at 2:27.
Undefeated junior lightweight Andres Cortes (17-0, 10 KOs) of Las Vegas stopped Alexis Del Bosque (18-6-1, 9 KO’s) of Dallas, Texa. Cortes finished Bosque in the sixth with a three-punch combination as the referee stopped the fight at 43 seconds of the sixth.
U.S. Olympian, middleweight Troy Isley (5-0, 3 KOs) of Alexandria, Virginia scored a second-round knockout over Anthony Hannah (3-3, 2 KO’s). Isley was too much for Hannah as he controlled the fight unloading big punches and knocked him down twice in the second as the referee Robert Hoyle waived the fight at 2:33.
Lightweight prospect Abdulla Mason (2-0, 2 KO) made quick work of Luciano Ramos (1-3) from Argentina. The Argentine came out with an awkward stance & style, Mason patiently picked his shots, attacking away and finishing him as referee Tony Weeks stepped in to stop the fight at 2:32 of the first. Ramos was not too happy with the stoppage as he walked over and pushed Mason but was quickly restrained by the Nevada State Athletic Commission officials.
In the opening bout from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, welterweight Antoine Cobb (1-0-1, 1 KO) of Chicago and Jaylan Phillips (1-3-1, 1 KO) of Florida fought to a draw. Fighting at a fast pace early on, Cobb and Phillips boxed around. The momentum appeared to be in Phillips’s favor in round three as he overwhelmed Cobb with punishing shots. In the fourth and final round, Phillips finished strong as he had Cobb backing away waiting for the bell to save him. However, after four rounds the judges scored the bout 39-37, 38-38, and 38-38 for the majority decision draw.
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