Shakur Stevenson came of age as he expertly wrenched the WBO super featherweight title with a tenth round stoppage of Jamel Herring at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
2016 Olympic Silver Medallist Stevenson had previously served as WBO champion at featherweight, but the 24-year-old had things his own way throughout his professional career to date before meeting Herring. Cincinnati based Herring had won the title in May 2019, and had defended three times, the most recent a stoppage win over Carl Frampton back in April.
These combinations from the young gun @ShakurStevenson 😯#HerringStevenson | LIVE on ESPN pic.twitter.com/dNLEavjYvb
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) October 24, 2021
Stevenson was in simply superlative form here, utilising fast hands that Herring had no answer to. The champion was hurt as early as the second round, forced on the retreat as Stevenson established a dominant jab. Power inches and chopping hooks visibly swayed Herring in round three. There was just no way into the contest for Herring, and it was mainly one way traffic as Stevenson connected with multiple right hooks in round five, and hurt ‘Semper Fi’ in round six with a heavy right hand.
𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐖 WBO JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION‼️
Make that 2x world champion, @ShakurStevenson. 🏆#HerringStevenson pic.twitter.com/69nB3n0lhj
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) October 24, 2021
The fight looked like it would have only one outcome, and the battering continued, with round nine seeing a particularly punishing onslaught, with Stevenson throwing and landing with four to five combinations at a time, and Herring’s eyes showing signs of heavy damage on his eyes. The doctor was called to take a look before round ten, but allowed the bout to continue, and it was a matter of time when the fight would come to an end. Stevenson went on the attack, and a number of accurate left hands forced an end to the action, and the Pennsylvanian crowned a two-weight world champion.
It was a pretty sparse undercard, and Evan Holyfield, son of the great Evander, scored a second round knockout win over Charles Stanford at super welterweight.
HOLY 🤯 SMOKE. @ChiefHoly with the HUGE Round 2 knockout in his first time fighting in front of his hometown crowd in Atlanta. #HerringStevenson pic.twitter.com/F1HU4hvoDo
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) October 24, 2021
Also at super welterweight Xander Sayas made it 11-0 as a pro, retiring Dan Karpency after four rounds.
.@XanderZayas turning it up to close out Round 3. ⛽️#HerringStevenson | LIVE on ESPN pic.twitter.com/IZKYryZN5k
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) October 24, 2021
Another relation of a legend is Nico Ali Walsh, and the grandson of the greatest chalked up win number two, halting James Westley II in three rounds.
.@NicoAliX74 lays one right on the chin of his opponent, earning the TKO victory in this second pro outing. 💪#HerringStevenson | LIVE on ESPN pic.twitter.com/dI1HOuj6Pt
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) October 24, 2021
There was an upset at super lightweight, where Roddricus Livsey lost his unbeaten record in a split decision loss over six rounds to Eric Palmer. Two scores of 58-56 for Palmer trumped a third card at 59-55 for Livsey.
Troy Isley improved to 2-0 with a first round stoppage of Nichols Navarro, while debutant Antoine Cobb also enjoyed a first round knockout win against Jerrion Campbell. Lightweight Harley Mederos took a 40-35 win across the board against Deljerro Revello, and Haven Brady Jr won all four rounds in his featherweight contest with Roberto Negrete.
