By: Sean Crose
“I gave it my all,” Shakur Stevenson posted on Twitter Thursday afternoon. He had arrived 1.6 pounds overweight on the scale a few minutes earlier at weigh-in for his scheduled battle Friday night with Robson Conceicao, who made the weight easily. “I’ve been pro my whole career and I’ve put on weight,” Stevenson continued, “but my body can’t do 130 anymore. My health has to come first. I will go up to 135 in my next fight.” After initially weighing heavily at Newark’s Prudential Center, Stevenson didn’t bother getting back on the scale, as is often the case in such settings. They gave him two hours to cut the necessary weight. If Stevenson refused to do so, he would lose his WBO and WBC junior lightweight titles.
Needless to say, the look may not be too good for the undefeated, 18-0 Stevenson. Friday night’s battle will take place in the city where he is from, Newark. Although the undefeated champion (or the champion at press time) is now fighting out of Houston, homecoming bouts are a big deal in the sport of boxing. Stevenson can now fight Saturday without his belts to defend. However, if that’s the case, Conceicao still has a chance to clinch the belts on Friday, provided he gets past Stevenson, something the 17-1 Brazilian fighter isn’t supposed to do.
Boxing Insider will update this story as it develops.
