Shakur Stevenson successfully defended his WBC lightweight title by defeating Artem Harutyunyan via unanimous decision in the main event of Top Rank’s card in Newark, New Jersey. Despite his win, the crowd reacted with boos, showing their discontent with Stevenson’s performance. Stevenson improved his record to 22-0, while Harutyunyan’s record fell to 12-2.
The co-main event was the night’s major highlight. Robson Conceicao stunned O’Shaquie Foster to claim the WBC junior lightweight title, despite landing only 11 percent of his punches. Foster, who managed to outpunch Conceicao 109-76, expressed his frustration and demanded a rematch, stating, “They stole this fight from me.”
Stevenson, a three-division world champion, previously held titles at featherweight and junior lightweight before moving up to 135 pounds in April. He won the lightweight championship last November by defeating Edwin De Los Santos in a lackluster match to claim the vacant WBC belt.
Throughout the fight, Stevenson employed a defensive strategy, focusing on body shots and avoiding Harutyunyan’s attacks. Although the bout went the distance, it generated boos from the home crowd, who expected a more decisive performance from Stevenson.
In other bouts, Keyshawn Davis dominated Miguel Madueno to win by unanimous decision, improving his record to 11-0. Abdullah Mason also showcased his skills by defeating Luis Lebron via technical knockout in the third round.
The Stevenson vs. Harutyunyan fight card was broadcasted live on ESPN and ESPN+ on July 6, with the main event taking place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. This event marked Stevenson’s fourth fight at the venue and his third in his last four outings.
In terms of betting odds, Stevenson was the clear favorite with -3500 odds to win, while Harutyunyan had +1100 odds. Stevenson’s plus/minus boxing statistic of 20.4 highlighted his defensive prowess, making him one of the most efficient fighters in boxing.
As for future matchups, fans are eagerly anticipating a potential bout between Stevenson and Gervonta “Tank” Davis. Although both hold lightweight titles, current discussions lean towards a unification bout between Davis and Vasiliy Lomachenko, which could set up an even bigger showdown later.