Is Shakur Stevenson In Danger?

Twenty-five-year-old phenom and now former world champion Shakur Stevenson has missed weight by 1.6 pounds for his homecoming championship showdown against Robson Conceicao. The Brazillian was already a threat to Stevenson, but now, with those circumstances, the upset is for the taking.

Shakur Stevenson might very well be the closest thing we’ve seen to former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather in recent memory. However, losing two championship titles on the scale is far from ideal for the Jersey native.

Since turning pro, Stevenson’s southpaw stance, combined with his impeccable defence, alongside many other attributes, has made him a puzzle that’s nearly impossible to beat, for now.

Shakur dominated Oscar Valdez in his last bout, claiming the WBC junior lightweight title. However, a few months before that fight, Brazil’s Robson Conceicao got robbed in most people’s eyes when he fought Valdez in Pheonix, Arizona.

So, coming into this fight, Robson already feels like he’s the uncrowned champion. And now, with Stevenson’s weight miss, he genuinely believes he has already won the battle.

Currently, Brazil’s Robson Conceicao is a 6 to 1 underdog against the 25-year-old Olympian. I can assure you these odds are fiction compared to the reality of the situation.

Not only has Robson beat Oscar Valdez on most people’s scorecards, but as an amateur, he also was the first Brazilian boxer to win an Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Olympics. That speaks volumes about his underrated boxing skills and fight IQ.

In Stevenson’s last few fights, he conquered fighters and former champions who were well smaller than him. But now, he’s fighting someone bigger, taller and stronger than him with a longer reach.

Robson is taught and moulded under the guidance of legendary Brazilian boxing coach Luiz Carlos Dórea. If you’re an MMA historian, you might know coach Luiz from his brilliant work with legends like Anderson Silva, Junior Dos Santos, the Nogueira brothers and many more Brazilian legends.

Shakur Stevenson is what you call a generational fighter – special fighters create special moments in junctures when they’re doubted the most. However, if there was ever a perfect time to shock Stevenson, it’s now.