By Vince D’Writer: WBC/WBO/Ring Magazine super featherweight champion Shakur Stevenson (18-0, 9 KOs) is ready to show off his boxing skills in front of his hometown fans as he defends his titles against Robson Conceicao (17-1, 8 KOs) live on ESPN on Friday, September 23 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
When Stevenson faces Conceicao on Friday night, it will mark Stevenson’s first title defense as the unified super featherweight champion. The last time Shakur was in the ring he faced a man he called for a significant amount of time, and in April 2022, then-WBC champion Oscar Valdez finally took the bait and agreed to fight Stevenson.
The two undefeated champions met at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition to Stevenson’s WBO and Valdez’s WBC belts on the line, the vacant Ring Magazine title was also on the line.
Before the unification fight, the previously undefeated Oscar Valdez was supposed to be the toughest fight of Shakur Stevenson’s career, but Stevenson missed the note as he beat Valdez in dominant fashion.
His jab was thrown early and often as he was constantly using it to control distance. At the midpoint of the fight, Stevenson began to press forward and land combinations. In round 6, Stevenson hit Valdez with a right hook that dropped Valdez. He would go on to dominate the second half of the fight and win the championship fight via unanimous decision.
Now Shakur Stevenson is ready to defend his unified crown as he plans to use this opportunity to make a statement by showcasing his skills as a ring manager. “All I’m thinking about is going in there and hitting him. If the knockout comes, it comes. When people come in and look for a knockout, that’s when they have bad performances, and I don’t plan on having a bad performance.” Stevenson is focused on winning the fight and making it an entertaining night for his hometown fans.
In the co-feature, Keyshawn Davis (5-0, 4 KOs), a 23-year-old 2020 lightweight Olympic silver medalist, will take on Omar Tienda (25-5, 18 KOs). During his confrontation at the press conference, Tienda stood in front of Davis wearing a pair of sunglasses, but Davis was able to see through the fashionable glasses. “I can still see those eyes boy. I can still see them. Are you ready? You know what I do. It’s going to be a great fight,” Davis said as he proceeded to shake Tienda’s hand.
When it came time for Shakur Stevenson and Robson Conceicao to square off, their matchup wasn’t quite as cordial. Conceicao gave Stevenson an intimidating look, but Shakur referred to Conceicao’s intensity as an act. “He’s faking it. He pretending. He already knows. I’m going to give you a beating. I’m going to give you a beating. You know it. You know that.” At the conclusion of the press conference, the 33-year-old Brazilian boxer shared his assessment of Stevenson. “Very cunning. Very cunning. He talks too much,” Conceicao said.
The 25-year-old super featherweight champion is the obvious favorite, and the boxing public is expecting Stevenson to pick up a routine victory, but Conceicao is no random old opponent. He is a boxer who won an Olympic gold medal in 2016, and his only loss as a professional was against former WBC super featherweight champion Oscar Valdez.
However, Shakur Stevenson is on a mission as he plans to successfully defend his titles and put on an enjoyable show for his fans in Newark, New Jersey. If Stevenson is successful on Friday night, becoming undisputed in the division is an option for him, but rumors are circulating that Shakur could announce his decision to move up in weight to the 135-pound division.
