Shakur Enters P4P
Shakur Stevenson unified two world titles in the 130 lbs division defeating previously unbeaten world champion and two-time Olympian Oscar Valdez in the main event of a Top Rank ESPN boxing card at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Saturday night.
In short, Stevenson looks like a young legend. Calm, poised, and technically great. When Shakur fights like this it is hard to imagine he will lose. Stevenson fought a great fighter, and to the novice fight fan, that might have thought it was a showcase, because Stevenson dictated the terms of the fight from the opening bell.
Stevenson is slowly amassing a credible world title run across two divisions as he now has held three world title belts in two division featherweight and super featherweight, and made his intentions clear he has eyes set at lightweight for the near future.
By the end of the year, Stevenson should be one of Top Rankβs main fighters that headlines big events.
undercard
A future headliner, Keyshawn Davis continues to get solid wins to start his career, as the 2020 lightweight Olympic silver medalist, continues to show why he is one of the most offensively gifted fighters of the next generation.
Nico Ali Walsh got a highlight-reel KO in the first-round. Walsh is improving and his commit to the sport is showing growth, and it seems his connection with Richard Slone, his new head coach has also helped as well.
Raymond Muratalla knocked out very tough gatekeeper Jeremy Hill in a fight that showed Muratalla is ready for the top-15 of the division.
Andres Cortes picked up a KO on the undercard in his first fight being official signed by Top Rank Inc. Cortes is a big puncher.
Troy Isley continues to look like a future middleweight star as he stopped his opponent. I expect Isley to be a main eventer in this next decade, often.
Abdullah Mason got a knockout win over tough veteran Luciano Ramos.
Jaylan Phillips got a draw with undefeated Antoine Cobb in the opening bout. Phillips, who trains at City Boxing Club in Las Vegas, Nevada, seemed to be the fighter the media favored in the bout, but I didnβt watch it extremely closely to have an opinion.
Taylor Beats Serrano
Katie Taylor the great.
Rarely do European fighters come to America, and win - though this fight will be debated about who won as the split decision left a cliffhanger, which will surely see a rematch. Taylor won on the cards, and more so proved any doubters wrong.
Fighting Amanda Serrano in Serranoβs hometown of New York City, Taylor got an early lead, and took heavy shots in the fifth and tenth round - which she was able to withstand, leading to her winning the fight.
This wasnβt a fight that saw one fighter become great, and the other become less than.
No.
This saw two queens of the ring get crowned. Amanda Serrano had a very good case to say she won the fight, and Taylor showed the conviction guts of any fighter ever.
This was the greatest bout in womenβs boxing history, fitting of the being the first one to headline a historic arena.
undercard
Career 154 lber Liam βBeefyβ Smith stopped former world champion Jessie Vargas in ten round, a fight that was more fun than most expected. In what turned out to be a fun olβ guy fight, saw two veteran willingly beat each other up, as once Vargas was unable to use his speed advantage against Smith - Smith used his size to make the fight tough and rugged. This is worth a watch as it provided a lot of action - and set the tone for the main event.
Franchon Crews Dezurn got her historic moment as she got a ten-round decision to win all four titles in the womenβs super middleweight division defeating Elin Cederroos. Crews Dezurn controlled the whole fight, and to think Crews Dezurn was the first person Claressa Shields fought as a pro. Crews Dezurn now is a part of history, and that is pretty cool.
Flyweight Galal Yafai continues to look like that dude as he stopped Miguel Cartagena in two rounds. Yafai, a 2020 Olympic gold medalist, seemingly should be close to a world title in just two fights - as both of his bouts were scheduled for 10-rounds. Please make Galal Yafai vs. Sunny Edwards.
Austin βAmmoβ Williams looked as good as ever stopping undefeated Chordale Booker in one round. Booker looked off, slow and stagnant, but Ammo also looked as quick as ever, as a flurry of punches dropped Booker, who than never recovered and was stopped standing. Williams wins a form of the middleweight regional WBA belt. That means Williams should have a top-15 ranking in middleweight division soon.
140 lbs Reshat Mati got an eight-round decision over one loss opponent Joe Hernandez. Mati, one of the original Matchroom USA guys, needs to standout a little bit more in his performances moving forward, as it seems he has been stuck low on the card for quite some time.
Skye Nicolson won her third fight in essentially 30 days, and showed power dropping her opponent in the sixth and final round, but has still yet to get a stoppage in her pro career. I think at this rate Nicolson will fight for a world title by December.
Khalil Coe, a light heavyweight won a six-round decision, Coe is still figuring out his indentity in the ring, but has a good jab, and I like his mean temperament along with power.
Club Shows
A shocker saw Angel Antonio Contreras get a majority decision over prospect Darren Cunningham III in Arizona.
On show with a group of sons of legends, it was James Morrison, one of the sons of Tommy Morrison, who knocked out Hasim Rahman Jr. in the fifth round.
Also on this card, Keith Hunter got a decision over Demarius Driver, and Gerald McClellan Jr. got a majority decision over an undefeated opponent.
Quinton Randall won a regional WBC title tonight.
Christian Carto of Philly got a first-round KO on a club show in Philly. The one loss fighter is now training with Bozy Ennis, is a big ticket-seller and has plenty of upside.