Jamel Herring vs. Shakur Stevenson: 5 questions – and answers – going into fight
It doesn’t get much better than this.
Jamel Herring will defend his WBO 130-pound title against Shakur Stevenson on Saturday night in Atlanta (ESPN and ESPN+), a genuine best-vs.-best matchup.
Herring (23-2, 11 KOs) has established himself as one of the top lower-weight fighters and is coming off his biggest victory, a sixth-round knockout in April that sent Carl Frampton into retirement.
The former U.S. Marine, a late bloomer in boxing, is 35 but still going strong.
And Stevenson (16-0, 8 KOs) is widely considered one of the most-gifted boxers in the world and a candidate to become the pound-for-pound king one day.
The 2016 Olympic silver medalist, only 24, will be vying for a title in a second division.
Here are five questions – and answers – going into the pivotal fight.
Jamel Herring (left) and Shakur Stevenson, flanking promoter Bob Arum, will meet in the ring Saturday in Atlanta. Kyle Hess / Top Rank via Getty Images
Is this the biggest test of Herring’s career?
Definitely. His sixth-round knockout of Frampton, a former Fighter of the Year, in April was impressive but the 34-year-old Irishman announced his retirement after the fight for a reason: He was no longer the fighter who won titles in two divisions. Stevenson doesn’t have the resume Frampton has but he’s more talented and is approaching his peak as a fighter. Herring will have to find a way to cope with unusual speed, athleticism and skills that have overwhelmed Stevenson’s opponents so far in his career. The younger fighter is about a 6½-1 favorite, which is remarkable given that Herring is the titleholder.
Is this the biggest test of Stevenson’s career?
Definitely. Stevenson has beaten some quality opponents, including Christopher Diaz, Joet Gonzalez (for a vacant 126-pound title) and Toka Kahn Clary. None are in Herring’s class. The tall (5-foot-10), rangy boxer rebounded from losses to Denis Shafikov and Ladarius Miller in 2016 and 2017 to build himself into a champion at 33 years old, which has garnered him considerable respect. He can box, he’s durable and, most important, he’s experienced. Stevenson might outbox Herring to win a decision but he’s going to have to work hard to do so. Herring won’t be giving anything away.
What are we to make of Herring’s ugly fight against Jonathan Oquendo?
Not much. Herring arguably quit in his fight against Oquendo in September of last year, which he won by an eighth-round disqualification because of repeated head butts by the Puerto Rican challenger. A clash of heads caused a deep cut over Herring’s right eye in Round 5. After Round 8, the referee asked Herring whether he could see and he said “no,” which ended the fight. Herring was so disgusted that he later considered retirement. However, he put the nasty affair and the negative mindset behind him by dominating Frampton in his next fight.
How good can Stevenson be?
The 2016 Olympic silver medalists has the tools, charisma and backing (Top Rank) to become one of the top figures in the sport, perhaps even the face of it. He’s that good. If he continues to dominate his opponents as he has so far, his rapid ascent will continue. That said, he might have two things working against him. One, he doesn’t punch particularly hard. That’s not a prerequisite to achieve great things but it helps. And, two, he has a lot of competition. Young stars like Gervonta Davis, Teofimo Lopez, Jaron Ennis and a few others are just as gifted as Stevenson and Davis, Lopez and Ennis all punch harder than Stevenson does. The race to the top among the young guns will be interesting.
Can the winner of this fight legitimately claim to be the best 130-pounder?
Not necessarily. Oscar Valdez, the WBC junior lightweight champion, delivered a defining knockout victory over Miguel Berchelt this past February. The Mexican’s reputation took a hit after he tested positive for a banned substance – yet was allowed to fight Robson Conceicao last month – but he still is arguably the top 130-pounder. Top Rank’s Bob Arum has said he will do everything in his power to pit Valdez against the winner of the Herring-Stevenson fight. For the record, Roger Gutierrez holds the WBA belt. The IBF title is vacant.
