Shakur Stevenson made his first protection of the WBC light-weight title and beat Artem Harutyunyan in the primary occasion of Prime Rank’s card from Newark, New Jersey by a unanimous choice.
However this may increasingly not have been the story of the evening.
The large story got here within the co-main battle the place Robson Conceicao shocked O’Shaquie Foster to win the WBC junior light-weight title. This was a shocker as Conceicao landed simply 11 % of his punches. Foster outpunched him 109-76.
Stevenson is a three-division world champion, having held titles at featherweight and junior light-weight earlier than transferring as much as 135 kilos in April. Stevenson grew to become a light-weight champion final November when outpointed Edwin De Los Santos in a traditionally sluggish affair to say the vacant WBC belt.
Listed here are our dwell updates all through the Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan battle card.
Followers fashioned an extended line, strolling out of the battle. They’d seen sufficient. Boos are again. The hometown Stevenson is not impressing his followers tonight. He simply outlasted Harutyunyan. Stevenson wins by unanimous choice and improves to 22-0 to retain his WBC light-weight title. Harutyunan falls to 12-2.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan battle: Spherical 11
Extra boos. What we have seen listed below are back-to-back fights of boxers recognized for his or her protection. Stevenson is not successful individuals over together with his energy. He’s simply sporting out Harutyunyan with physique and avoiding punches.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan battle: Spherical 10
Stevenson needed to cease this battle early. However Harutyunyan is not going away. This may go the gap barring one thing bizarre occurring. Harutyunyan is aware of he will not win by factors, so he has to change into the aggressor for the final two rounds.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan battle: Spherical 9
Stevenson was the aggressor the primary two minutes of the spherical, hitting totally different combos. He even seemed to be on the verge of ending off the battle. However Harutyunayan closed out the spherical, hitting Stevenson with a number of combos.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan battle: Spherical 8
Stevenson has a great deal of vitality. He dances again to his ring after the bell. A lot of what we have seen the primary a number of rounds. Stevenson is working the physique. However Harutyunyan is not breaking down.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan battle: Spherical 7
Stevenson continues to put on down Harutyunyan with physique blows. However Harutyunyan is not utterly slowing down. He is countering. This is not going to be a knockout except one thing modifications rapidly.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan battle: Spherical 6
Stevenson had maybe his greatest spherical of the evening. He is beginning to wear down Harutyunyan together with his physique pictures. He is sporting him out with these physique pictures.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan battle: Spherical 5
Stevenson is not backing up the way in which he did the primary two rounds. He is changing into extra of the aggressor. However Harutyunan is not going away quietly. This appears to be like like it’s going to go the gap. Stevenson landed 21 of his punches to eight by Harutyunyan.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan battle: Spherical 4
Stevenson is heating up and changing into just a little extra aggressive. Harutyunyan is engaged on Stevenson’s physique. However Stevenson is beginning to work Harutyunyan now after a quiet first three rounds. Stevenson has probably gained three of the primary 4 rounds.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan battle: Spherical 3
The boos in Stevenson’s hometown of Newark, New Jersey are noticeable as Stevenson is limiting his engagement in opposition to Harutyunyan. Stevenson hit two fast jabs that introduced some cheers. However Harutyunyan comes again with a counter. Stevenson has landed extra punches 19-10 by three rounds.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan battle: Spherical 2
One other sluggish begin within the second spherical. Proper now, neither boxer is touchdown a lot of an assault on the opposite. Stevenson, because the champion, appears to be backing up whereas Harutyunyan is taking the battle to him. He simply is not touchdown many punches. Nonetheless, the earlier battle confirmed that will not be essential.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan battle: Spherical 1
After a controversial co-main occasion the place Robson Conceicao grew to become the brand new WBC junior light-weight title regardless of touchdown simply 11 % of his punches, Shakur Stevenson got here out cautious within the opening spherical vs. Harutyunyan. Harutyunyan did not land many punches, however was the aggressor.
O’Shaquie Foster vs. Robson Conceicao: Spherical 12
Conceicao, a former Olympic gold medalist, shocks the group. He pulls out a cut up choice to win the WBC junior light-weight title. This can be a particular shocker. Conceicao improves to 19-2-1. Foster falls to 23-3. Foster misplaced regardless of Conceicao touchdown simply 11 % of his punches. Foster landed 109-76 extra punches.
“I need this rematch. They stole this battle from me,” Foster mentioned in a publish battle interview.
O’Shaquie Foster vs. Robson Conceicao: Spherical 11
Foster has this battle wrapped up and it exhibits. He stays on the defensive. He is content material simply utilizing his toes to keep away from Conceicao’s tried offense.
O’Shaquie Foster vs. Robson Conceicao: Spherical 10
Conceicao comes out with depth. Lands some robust physique pictures. However Foster then counters. However Conceicao has been the aggressor. Proper now Foster leads punches landed 91-58.
O’Shaquie Foster vs. Robson Conceicao: Spherical 9
Foster is pulling away. Conceicao wants to start out considering knockout. Conceicao has a pair good combos. However Foster has a counter.
O’Shaquie Foster vs. Robson Conceicao: Spherical 8
Conceicao has a great mixture. He is urgent extra, however Foster continues to elude him. Up to now Foster is operating away with this battle. Foster has gained seven of eight rounds.
O’Shaquie Foster vs. Robson Conceicao: Spherical 7
Foster stays on the defensive. He is touchdown a number of pictures afterward, however not many. The issue for Conceicao is Foster’s velocity has saved him from touchdown something critical. Foster has a 58-39 punch benefit. Neither is connecting a lot.
O’Shaquie Foster vs. Robson Conceicao: Spherical 6
Foster is on the defensive, taking his pictures after Conceicao combos. Conceicao has a pleasant physique mixture late within the sixth spherical.
O’Shaquie Foster vs. Robson Conceicao: Spherical 5
Conceicao goes to have to show it up quickly on Foster. Foster is methodical, slowly engaged on Conceicao. Followers are just a little stressed, wanting some extra pleasure.
O’Shaquie Foster vs. Robson Conceicao: Spherical 4
Conceicao is touchdown simply 9 % of his punches. Foster has gained every spherical up to now.
Foster’s quickness is bothering Conceicao, who cannot join sufficient on Foster resulting from that fast toes.
O’Shaquie Foster vs. Robson Conceicao: Spherical 2
Foster lands a pair combos, however Conceicao has a great counter. Like the primary spherical, proper now each boxers are patiently ready for his or her alternatives.
O’Shaquie Foster vs. Robson Conceicao: Spherical 1
It was a sluggish spherical to start out Foster’s protection of the WBC junior light-weight title. Each labored slowly, taking alternatives when given.
Keyshawn Davis vs. Miguel Madueno: Spherical 10
Davis dominated the battle, touchdown shot after shot to enhance to 11-0. Madueno suffers his third defeat and is now 31-3. Davis even shows some showmanship, appearing like he is a matador. The 2 hug after. Davis landed 122 punches. He wins by a unanimous choice.
Keyshawn Davis vs. Miguel Madueno: Spherical 9
Large ending to the ninth spherical with Davis touchdown some large blows. Madueno slowed. However he refuses to be knocked downs.
Keyshawn Davis vs. Miguel Madueno: Spherical 8
OK, issues have calmed down. We’re late within the battle. Davis nonetheless touchdown a lot on Madueno. However Davis is beginning to seize and maintain on extra. He is landed so many punches he is getting fatigued.
Keyshawn Davis vs. Miguel Madueno: Spherical 7
Issues have gotten loopy. Madueno accidently hit the ref after the bell after the 2 boxers exchanged phrases after the spherical. Madueno picks up Davis at one level. Davis tags Madueno with a giant shot and Madueno motions for extra.
Keyshawn Davis vs. Miguel Madueno: Spherical 6
Davis has landed 93 punches to 40 by Madueno by the primary 5 rounds. That is paying off for Davis in Spherical 6.
Keyshawn Davis vs. Miguel Madueno: Spherical 5
Madueno refuses to be shocked by the onslaught that he is endured from Davis by the primary 4 rounds. The tempo slowed within the fifth spherical. Davis is ready to land some physique pictures.
Keyshawn Davis vs. Miguel Madueno: Spherical 4
Davis has dazed Madueno. He is sporting him out. He hits him with a three-punch mixture that forces Madueno to take a step again. However Madueno comes again for extra.
Keyshawn Davis vs. Miguel Madueno: Spherical 3
Davis had a reasonably mixture early within the third spherical. However Madueno countered and had Davis in opposition to the ropes the place he was capable of join a pair combos. Davis proper now has the sting. He is touchdown 52 % of his jabs.
Keyshawn Davis vs. Miguel Madueno: Spherical 2
Madueno is bringing his offense to Davis. Davis would not look snug.
Keyshawn Davis vs. Miguel Madueno: Spherical 1
Davis obtained some early pictures in on Madueno, who tried to start out the battle on the offensive.
Abdullah Mason vs. Luis Lebron: Spherical 3
Mason exhibits off one other good mixture. The battle ends with Lebron in bother and Lebron’s coach waiving his white towel. Mason wins by technical knockout, 1:18 into the third spherical.
Abdullah Mason vs. Luis Lebron: Spherical 2
Mason has proven a great quantity of combos and higher cups. He has lower Lebron on his nostril. Mason is in full management.
Mason stuns Lebron for a standing depend. He stuns him once more within the remaining seconds of the spherical.
Abdullah Mason vs. Luis Lebron: Spherical 1
Lebron began slowly, edging as much as Mason. Mason confirmed off good combos on this light-weight showdown.
How you can watch Shakur Stevenson vs Artem Harutyunyan battle?
The Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan battle in the primary occasion of Prime Rank’s card from New Jersey can be broadcasted dwell on ESPN and ESPN+ on July 6.
- How you can watch: ESPN or ESPN+
Shakur Stevenson vs Artem Harutyunyan battle begin time, ring walks
Prime Rank’s battle card, headlined by Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan, kicks off at 8 p.m. CT with the primary occasion ring walks anticipated at roughly 10 p.m. CT.
- Battle card begin time: 8 p.m. CT
- Stevenson vs. Harutyunyan ring walks: approx. 10 p.m. CT
Shakur Stevenson vs Artem Harutyunyan battle location
The Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan battle will happen on the Prudential Heart in Stevenson’s hometown of Newark, New Jersey.
This can be Stevenson’s fourth battle on the Prudential Heart, and his third battle there in his final 4 outings. The Prudential Heart is dwelling of the New Jersey Devils and Seton Corridor basketball.
Shakur Stevenson vs Artem Harutyunyan full battle card
The undercard of Stevenson-Harutyunyan incorporates a 130-pound title showdown between present champion O’Shaquie Foster and Robson Conceicao together with certainly one of Prime Rank’s brightest prospects, Keyshawn Davis, returning to the ring.
- Major occasion: Shakur Stevenson (21-0, 10 KOs) vs. Artem Harutyunyan (12-1, 7 KOs); WBC light-weight title
- Co-main: O’Shaquie Foster (22-2, 12 KOs) vs. Robson Conceicao (18-2-1, 9 KOs); WBC junior light-weight title
- Keyshawn Davis (11-0, 7 KOs) wins by unanimous choice over Miguel Madueno (31-3, 28 KOs)
- Abdullah Mason defeats Luis Lebron by technical knockout within the third spherical.
Shakur Stevenson vs Artem Harutyunyan battle prediction
This has one-sided written throughout it. Stevenson is ranges above Harutyunyan and whereas he seemed somewhat poor in his final outing, that ought to spur him to return out stronger on Saturday.
It’s onerous to shake the considered the De Los Santos bout as a result of it was actually that unhealthy of a battle, however Stevenson stays some of the gifted and tough fighters within the sport. Defensively, there’s arguably no one higher and Harutyunyan may have his fingers full simply attempting to land on Stevenson.
Whereas Harutyunyan gave Frank Martin a stable check final summer season, Stevenson is a much better fighter in virtually each manner and Harutyunyan is more likely to get picked aside, assuming Stevenson is at his greatest (or perhaps a fraction of it). We see a stoppage on this one as Harutyunyan is unable to hold with Stevenson into the late rounds.
Predictions: Stevenson def. Harutyunyan by TKO-8; Foster def. Conceicao by UD; Davis def. Madueno by UD
Shakur Stevenson vs Artem Harutyunyan battle odds
- Shakur Stevenson to win: -3500
- Artem Harutyunyan to win: +1100
- Over 10.5 rounds: -180
- Below 10.5 rounds: +130
Odds by way of DraftKings, as of June 29
Shakur Stevenson battle file
Shakur Stevenson is 21-0 with 10 wins by knockout.
Stevenson is a 3 division world champion and silver medalist on the 2016 Olympic Video games. Stevenson gained the WBO featherweight title over Joet Gonzalez in 2019, the primary world title of his profession.
He later grew to become a unified champion at junior light-weight, defeating Jamel Herring and Oscar Valdez in back-to-back fights. He moved to light-weight in 2023 and final November Stevenson gained the vacant WBC title, outpointing Edwin De Los Santos in a snooze-fest of a battle.
Stevenson is ranked No. 4 at light-weight by The Ring, while ESPN ranks him No. 3 at lightweight and No. 8 pound-for-pound.
Artem Harutyunyan fight record
Artem Harutyunyan is 12-1 with seven wins by knockout.
Harutyunyan was a bronze medalist for Germany at the 2016 Olympics. He turned pro in 2017 and had never fought outside of his home country until his last fight against Frank Martin, who just lost to Gervonta Davis earlier this month.
Harutyunyan gave Martin a test but ultimately, Martin passed it, winning by unanimous decision in a somewhat sloppy fight, handing Harutyunyan his first loss. Harutyunyan hasn’t fought since that fight nearly 12 months ago.
Harutyunyan is ranked No. 7 at lightweight by the WBC.
Shakur Stevenson stats
Statistically speaking, Shakur Stevenson is one of the best fighters in all of boxing.
Stevenson leads all boxers in plus/minus, which measures how many times you hit an opponent versus get hit by them. Stevenson’s plus/minus is an eye-popping 20.4, the only fighter with a plus/minus above 20.
While Stevenson doesn’t throw a ton of shots, he’s very effective with the punches he does throw, ranking third in boxing for power punch connect percentage, landing 46.8% of his power punches.
Defense is where Stevenson really stands above the rest. His opponents land an average of just 5.2 punches per round on him, the lowest in all of boxing, while connecting on just 13.3% of shots. He gets hit with an average of 3.9 power punches per round and his opponents land only 16.7% of their power punches on him.
Shakur Stevenson vs ‘Tank’ Davis?
Shakur Stevenson has long been linked to a potential fight with Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis. With Stevenson now in the same division as Davis, the cries for a fight between the two have only intensified.
Each hold a lightweight title with Stevenson in possession of the WBC belt and Davis the WBA and it’s not a stretch to call Stevenson and Davis the top two fighters in the division. After Davis’ destructive eighth round knockout of Frank Martin earlier this month, it seems he’s looking for a title unification in his next bout.
While Stevenson represents the most enticing matchup, pitting the one-punch knockout power of Davis against the elite defense of Stevenson, it doesn’t seem likely to come next. Top Rank and Bob Arum are currently in talks with Davis’ team for a unification bout against another, equally talented title holder, Vasiliy Lomachenko.
It seems likely Top Rank will be able to strike a deal with Davis’ team for that bout, which could potentially set up an even bigger unification bout between Stevenson and the winner.
More:Gervonta Davis vs Frank Martin fight: Who won, fight analysis and what’s next
Shakur Stevenson weight
Shakur Stevenson fights in the lightweight division, which has a maximum weight limit of 135-pounds.
Stevenson started his career at featherweight (126-pounds) and won a title there in 2019 before moving up to the junior lightweight division (130-pounds). At junior lightweight, Stevenson established himself as one of the best fighters on the planet, becoming a unified champion before growing too big for the division and once again moving up.
Since coming to the lightweight division in April 2023, Stevenson has won two fights, claiming the vacant WBC title in his last fight over Edwin De Los Santos.
Harrison Campbell covers boxing for The Tennessean and high school sports for The Daily Herald. Email him at hcampbell@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @hccamp.