Boxing Challenge; Stevenson Misses Weight, Dominates Fight

   Shakur Stevenson may have disappointed on the scales when he was forced to vacate his WBC and WBO junior lightweight titles for missing weight but he didn't disappoint in the ring as he dominated veteran Robson Conceicao and won an easy unanimous decision in Stevenson's hometown of Newark New Jersey.

Stevenson knocked the former Olympic gold medalist down in round four with only a few seconds remaining in the round with a left hand but Conceicao wasn't seriously hurt after rising and would avoid serious trouble for the remainder of the fight.

Stevenson was docked one point for throwing Conceicao to the floor in round nine and looked like he may have had a chance at a stoppage in the eleventh after continuing to land the left hand repeatedly but the Brazilian made it to the final bell.

Give Conceicao credit on two fronts as he fought to the final bell against a superior foe and he could have scuttled the entire evening as under New Jersey rules, Conceicao could have collected his entire purse and not fought Stevenson after he made weight and Stevenson did not.

Plus Conceicao would have likely fought for one of the two titles that Stevenson sacrificed in a fight that he would have been far more likely to win and chose to take his chances against a superior champion.

Conceicao would have caused major heat with his promoter, Top Rank, had he not fought but still considering his background and loss to Stevenson, I'd think it was fair if one of the two organizations considered the total picture and perhaps placed Conceicao in one of the fights for a vacant title.

Stevenson won on two cards 117-109 and 118-108 on the third, which was the same score as mine.

Stevenson announced his intention to move to lightweight for his next fight and called for the world champion Devin Haney or Vasyl Lomachenko but both have October fights planned (Haney in a rematch against George Kambosos, Lomachenko against Jamaine Ortiz) and should both win in matches that they are heavily favored, they would next fight each other, so Stevenson will have to fight someone else in his lightweight debut.

If I was going to guess at an opponent, I might pick former IBF lightweight champion Richard Commey, who has a recognizable name and is coming off a good draw against Jose Pedraza at junior welterweight.

Pedraza signed to face Teofimo Lopez in December rather than a Commey rematch, so Commey might have an edge for a Stevenson fight. 

Boxing Challenge

TRS: 161 Pts (2)

Ramon Malpica: 141 Pts (2)

Vince Samano: 129 Pts (1)