By: Sean Crose
He now has a sponsorship with Reebok. He also has no less an entity than Hall of Fame fighter turned promoter Oscar De La Hoya claiming no one wants to fight him. He’s even drawn attention (albeit not all of it positive) for his personal pound for pound fighter list. He is, undoubtedly, one of the most highly regarded participants in the contemporary fight game. His name is Shakur Stevenson, he’s an undefeated lightweight who openly supports his hometown of Newark, New Jersey, and he’s in the market for a high end throwdown with a major opponent.
Before he can take on one of boxing’s bigger names, however, Stevenson has to get past one Edwin De Los Santos, a little known but hard hitting fighter who has won all but 1 of his 17 professional bouts, in Vegas on November 16th. And although the 20-0 Stevenson is a wonder to watch in the ring and will no doubt be highly favored come fight night, it’s worth keeping in mind that his match with De Los Santos will be for the WBC lightweight title – and that one has to be an impressive fighter to even get a crack at a world title. In other words, De Los Santos is no slouch, no matter how unheralded he might be.
With that being said, there’s a reason Stevenson is the center of so much attention. To watch the 26 year old in action is to see boxing that is sharp, fast, crisp and disciplined. Yes, disciplined. Stevenson is in control when he’s in action. He’s in control of the ring, of his zipping southpaw jab, of his powerful overhand right, of his thudding left hook. Stevenson also has what’s known as the killer instinct. In other words, the mental and physical ability to close the show when the moment arises.
So, should (and “should” is the operative word here) Stevenson top De Los Santos on the 16th, who will he then face? The possibilities are interesting, to say the least. Gervonta Davis. Devin Haney. Naoya Inoue. These are names Stevenson could potentially square off against in high profile fights. Sadly, however, it’s still hard to make the fights fans truly desire these days in boxing. Plus, if De La Hoya is right and Stevenson is being avoided, the road could be a frustrating one for Stevenson, at least in the short term. If, on the other hand…
