In a clash for the vacant WBO interim junior lightweight title, former featherweight champ Shakur Stevenson (16-0, 8 KOs) scored a one-sided twelve round unanimous decision over Jeremiah Nakathila (21-2, 17 KOs) on Saturday night at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Stevenson dominated the fight. He dropped Nakathila at the end of round four then cruised the rest of the way in a very forgettable fight. Scores were 120-107 3x.
“To be honest, I didn’t really like my performance,” said Stevenson. “I felt I could’ve performed a lot better, but it was an awkward fighter. You had an awkward fighter throwing hard punches, and he knows how to grab and get away. He was a real awkward fighter. That’s all.
“I tried to {get him out of there} a little bit, but I started getting hit with some solid shots. I ain’t really like it, but next time I’m going to work on moving my head a little bit more and step it up a little more.
“If I had the choice, I’d take Oscar Valdez, but if I had to beat up Jamel {Herring} to get to it, I’ll do that, too. Jamel can’t beat me. He knows what it is.”
Stevenson’s whole career is a snooze fest. He will never be a big name.
He only looked good while he was fighting bums.
Damn. that’s a lotta hate disguised as criticism, lol
Win now look good next time. That only works if the people who watched this fight come out of a coma before the next one.
Damn, was it really that bad? Lol. He probably just needs a good dance partner. It sounds like his opponent knew that he was outclassed and decided not to engage after the forth round. Didn’t watch the fight though so idk
No, it wasn’t that bad. it was actually entertaining if you the kind of fan who enjoys the technical side of boxing. problem is, all these broadcasts are set up to appeal to casual fans who think every boxing match is supposed to be knockdown-dragout slugfest.
Nakathila presented some stylistic problems, especially with his height, reach, awkwardness and power, but stevenson was still able to dominate. it shows stevenson is a brainy fighter who can devise creative ways to win. Problem is, most casuals don’t have boxing knowledge to understand and appreciate technical skills.
Most People dont know shit about “Boxing.”
-Roger Mayweather
Floyd had the same hate but still the biggest name in the sport.
That was awful. Probably not a single three punch combination thrown that entire fight.
After yet another boring performance, all of Shakur Stevenson’s fans could fit in the backseat of Jake Paul’s car!
The most vile comment to be heard on the ESPN broadcast were comparisons of Stevenson to Mayweather. That was an insult to Mayweather of the highest order.
put me to sleep midway through 🙂
thanks shakur and top rank
I didn’t see the fight, so I don’t know the context in which they made the Stevenson-Mayweather comparison, but it’s typical of the ESPN crew to exaggerate how great the house fighter is. In Beterbiev’s last fight, Bradley/Ward/Tessitore spent more time trying to convince the audience that Beterbiev was the greatest thing ever than they did actually calling the fight. They remind me of those fools on the Yahoo Finance boards who pump whatever stocks they own.
I didn’t hear anybody compare stevenson to mayweather in terms of their overall ability. the only comparison was that stevenson got hit less than mayweather. but defense is not all there was to mayweather.
Excellent post, Bruce. Floyd practically got his start in your gym, so you would definitely know firsthand.
Ho hum. This guy is as exciting to watch as women’s boxing.
Remember quaaludes? This fight This fight put THOSE to sleep! The commentators did their very best to pimp Stevenson’s “superior” skills, but just embarrassed themselves, and should have known better. They played it like he was landing at will, and his opponent was ready to go at any moment! Oh, well, good for some laughs, I guess.
That referee was getting on my nerves, and he should go work for a shoe company because of his love of feet.
Anyhow, Stevenson fought a tall fighter who had solid punching power, a long stance and long arms; thereby, I can see why Stevenson did not look for the TKO or KO because Nakathila clearly presented style concerns to Stevenson.
However, during the late rounds, it would have been nice to see Stevenson make a couple of attempts to responsibly attack Nakathila for the roar of the crowd, in search of a TKO or KO victory.
I have a bad feeling the Herring vs. Stevenson fight will become a seriously boring fight with plenty of “boos” and cuss words from the crowd. I hope they prove me wrong.
I don’t know how you make a fight more “exciting” if you’re winning every minute of every round. the point of boxing is to WIN. so, if a guy is winning going away, and the other guy is not doing anything to make it more competitive, who should be blamed? if nakathila had fought harder, smarter, taken more risks himself, it would be a much more exiciting fight. so, if you wanna blame somebody, blame natkathila for it being a “boring” fight.
Shakur is a great runner and makes for boring fights. Arum knows this kid is boring, that’s why he has matched him easy this far. It will be entertaining to watch I’m fall apart when he fights someone that actually hits him.
Lesser version of Pernell Whitaker who I rarely found interesting TBH.
Yeah, the old “runner” trope. You obviously didn’t see the fight. If you did, I don’t know who you’re trying to fool. If you want to blame somebody for a fight being “boring” why would you blame the winner? it was a “boring” fight to you because it was not competitive. The way to make it an exciting fight is to make it competitive. that was up to nakathila to make it competitive because he was losing every minute of every round.
Actually i did watch the fight and there were several rounds where his opponent engaged and Shakur literally used lateral movement to run around the ring. While you are correct, Shakur did do what he needed to win, but he won no fans and really didnt set himself up to fight anyone that actually engages. If you can give me an example when Shakur actually engaged and threw more than one punch ill buy your “expert” analysis. While boxing is a hit and dont get hit sport, when a fighter exhibits the trait of never wanting to get hit at all costs, it has historically meant that when an opponent can stifle that running, they fall apart. It also provides the blueprint for other fighters that actually engage to take him apart. Mark my words, the first time someone lands a legit combination on Shakur, Shakur will lose.
No. I will not “mark” your words, because you’re speculating and don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s not up to shakur to engage the guy. Since when does the guy dominating a fight have to “engage” a guy he’s already beating up? It’s up to nakathila to MAKE him engage. to cut off the ring. to use his reach and length to his advantage and score points. to put shakur in a position where he HAS to engage or risk losing. Nakathila did none of that hard work…he took few risks. instead nakathila followed shakur around the ring, absorbing potshots to the head and body. and every once in a while nakathila would reel of a long right hand. so, nakathila got what he deserved.
Dont take this the wrong way, but it’s really silly to expect the guy who is winning comfortably in a boxing match, to throw away all his advantages for some bogus notion of “excitement” or “engagement.”
Missed the fight. Decided to catch the 3 minute highlight video on YouTube. About a minute into the “highlights”, that Manuel Charr cartwheel came to mind. Decided to watch the cartwheel again rather than the remaining Shakur highlights. Not even making that up.
Damn! I’d rather watch grass grow! That was boring.
Shakur S u c k s!
I fell asleep after the third round but came back to see the results.
just like there is a flight of the year, this one should the NO fight of the year, kudos to Tim Bradley, he was the only one that had the guts to call it a boring fight, he said he was falling asleep, Ward & Tesetori were good company men, kept praising Shakur for not getting hit, it was the kind of fight that 3-1 slaps wins the round
Ward is invested in him, I understand.
Yeah, they called it boring, yet they blamed shakur for it being boring. And shakur was dominating the entire fight. what more did they want shakur to do? KO a guy who obviously was trying like hell not to get ko’d? you never blame the winner of a “boring”, uncompetitive fight. you always blame the loser. because it is the loser’s job to make the fight more competitive by ramping up the action and aggression and intensity in order to close the big performance gap. by doing those things, the fight will be more exciting. blame nakathila, not shakur.
Shakur Stevenson is the Guillermo Rigondeaux of the future.
I favor him against Valdez but Herring will surely dominate him with much harder punches this time.
What makes Stevensons performance worse was the fact the guy he was fighting fought like a total amateur, terrible footwork and very limited armoury when it came to punches.
I turned it off in round eight and watched Miguel Vazquez vs. Mickey Bey on YouTube instead. Yep. It was that bad.
After the 4th round i switched off and watch soccer, this guys like another boring Boo boo
Shakur Fn SUCKS! Boring ass fighter put me to sleep several times I don’t know why I continue to torture myself watching his pathetic fights!
I will record his fights and will now use them for my insomnia!
This guy doesn’t get it. 50 to 1 favorite. Fight handed on a silver platter. I get being cautious for s few rounds, but at some point mix up your attack, show some creativity. Had a great opportunity to put himself on the map but stunk it out. Great talent bur look at Lopez with the same number of fights. You got to dare to be great. These types of opponents are there to make you look good. Missed opportunity. Backward step in rising his profile. Wasnt impressed tonight.
Fuck outta here. He needs to do what he gotta do to win. Shit. Ain’t his fault the opponent didn’t put up an equal performance
Stevenson will never be as exciting in the ring than he was in that parking garage.
He kept it real. I can’t wait until he shakes up the 135lbs division
Once again bored by Shakur. Don’t think he’ll do well against bigger names in division. Great defense but extremely boring to watch.
If you want to see a good fight in that weight class, YouTube Bobby Chacon vs. Bazooka Limon from 1982. 15 rounds of pure excitement!
Thank you! Was there at memorial auditorium— wow!
Chacon’s next fight v Boza Edwards was just about as good!
Wow! You were there? How awesome is that!
On point E – man…..
Boxing purist…..just keep winning….Shakur very sharp….defensive fighter with pop…skilled counter puncher….has to have fights like this to learn and develop his skill set …..might not always like it but understand and looking forward to the day when he challenges that beast of a fighter where Shakur will have to use all his skills to win…..Shakur keep winning….don’t end up on the wrong end of the high light reel trying to make a point….ask Sugar Ray Leonard about that….
cant believe what i seen referee must know a lot about feet shakur is a fensive fighter does not really want to fight excuses and more excuses for shakur do not care cause he is friends with crawford that does not make him a great fighter
ref was ore interested in their feet than the fight, I got real tired of hearing watch your feet watch your feet, bet he said it one hundred times
Shakur assaults women, he’s a clown, boring to watch and doesn’t deserve the hype.
I thought Shakur played it just right-he let the other guy show what he had and took over as the fight went on-smart strategy
Not a fan of Shakur. He just doesn’t have the class, the poise, the professionalism. I am so sick of ghetto homie speak. “I ain’t really like it!” Gruesome! I have no interest in any of his fights, and don’t expect much from him. Jeremiah Nakathila wasn’t “awkward”, he’s a GOOD fighter, better than Stevenson anticipated. I was rooting for Nakathila.
I’d rather watch paint dry than watch this personality-less clown fight. Pathetic performance yet he has ringside commentators as well as Max Kellerman constantly licking his nutsack about how great he is. I get it no boxer wants to get hit but this guy takes the cake he’s terrified of any exchanges He should be arrested for impersonating a prizefighter, we pay his purses and in turn get tortured with an extremely pitiful boring performance thats about as bad as downing a bottle of sleeping pills!
I was really looking to this fight but was deeply dissapointed, thought stevenson fought to defensively
I’m betting none of the guys on this forum criticizing stevenson’s performance have ever been in the ring. stevenson won every minute of every round on all cards. How does that deserve criticism? Reminds me of tank davis battering gamboa for 12 rounds, winning by KO, and getting showered with boos at the conclusion of the fight.
You are not gonna please certain fans no matter what.
Fact is Nakathila was the #2 contender and has KO’d 10 of his last 10 opponents. he’s a tall, rangy guy who knew how to tie stevenson up when stevenson closed the gap. He had an awkward, herky-jerky style which seemed to throw stevenson off. A difficult style to look good against.
Should stevenson have taken more chances? i would not have…why put your health, your title and potential big fights at risk to look good against this guy? the same fans calling on shakur to take more chances are the ones who woulda laughed him out of town if one of them big right hands from nakathila had landed and shakur went down or out. they would be calling shakur an overrated bum just like they’re doing now. the only difference would be that he would have taken damage to his health and reputation. no need to play the sucker to please a few fans who will hate you anyway.
shakur owes these fans nothing. for one thing, we know all their hate has nothing to do with him being “boring” and that they have other, more insidious, reasons for hating him…if i’m wrong, let’s see them clamor for shakur-valdez fight next.
I’m curious to see what happens when/if he gets hurt or cut. He might have a little Broner in him.
Really dull fight, Shakur didn’t have to a get a stoppage, but he clearly could have done more. Nakathila might have a lot of KOs, but look at his record, who has he beat?
Shakur really needs better competition before we really know just how good he is. I still feel he has what it takes, but it has to proven in fights against top fighters, not by hype or statistics.
Extremely boring fighter. Who in their right mind would pay to see him in a PPV. Never mind, a lot folks paid to see Mayweather and the social media guy. The era of great fights is over.
by great fights, i imagine you’re talking about canelo-smith and canelo- jacobs, right?
He really could have done a lot more, and used combos. Yes. But he dominated. He scored 3 knockdowns but only was given one from the “watch your feet guys” ref. I was focused on the commentary of the fight, so I stayed awake, but yes, was waiting and waiting for a 3 or 4 punch combo.
That said, he gets a pass for his accomplishments within only 16 fights. But if he wants to headline large arenas he had better step it up soon or else Bob can’t ever have him even do a medium sized Mandalay Bay if he has more fights this safe. Virgin Theater is small even remodeled and I saw those ticket sales were going slow. And no, he’s no Rigondeaux, (there’s only one Guillermo) hahaha
Thankfully Pedraza had a good showing, and undercard was o.k. I look forward to next week’s main card.
I won’t be concerned about Shakur, unless he keeps doing this stuff repeatedly.
Shakur fought cautiously throwing one punch at a time and never stepped up the pace. He said he tried to step it up but I saw no evidence of it. He was content to win a lopsided decision, but didn’t do anything to generate the kind of excitement that puts fans in the seats or spur PPV buys at home.
He fought from long distance and never stepped inside to throw combinations. I still don’t know if he’s a good inside fighter because he never fought inside during the fight.
Floyd Mayweather at the same stage was a terrific offensive and defensive fighter. His dismantling of Genaro Hernandez was probably his best win in those early days. As his hands bothered him and he rose in weight to fight bigger fighters, he became a lot more defensive. I prefer to watch Pretty Boy Floyd and not Money Mayweather.
Stevenson is still young enough to make his mark and win a title. However, if he fights as cautiously in future fights, he may be undefeated but not a box office attraction. We’ll just have to wait and see if this fight was the exception and not the norm.