WBC/WBO junior lightweight world champion Shakur Stevenson and challenger Robson Conceição faced off on Wednesday at the final press conference for Friday’s showdown at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. During the event, the City of Newark presented Stevenson with a proclamation declaring September 21, 2022, as Shakur Stevenson Day in the city.
Robson Conceição: “I’m very motivated. I’ve trained all my life for this moment. The world was able to see that I was better than Oscar Valdez. I should have won. So, he’s not really defending two titles because one should have been mine. I’m a champion without a crown, and I’m ready for Friday night…there will only be one champ, and that champ is me.”
Shakur Stevenson: “He’s a good fighter. But I think he lost against Valdez. If you left it in the judges’ hands, then you lost. I fought Valdez, and I beat the s*** out of him. I don’t have any excuses. He’s talking about having COVID or something before his last fight. All I hear are excuses. I’m ready to fight. Tell him to not have any excuses on Friday night. I’m ready to beat him up…I never leave it in the hands of the judges. I go in there and take everything that I want.”
Well Stevenson is right about beating Valdez ass, was about as one sided as a fight gets. Usually amateur fight history means jack shit in the pros (Loma is one exception though)
Shakur could use a dose of humility. That may not happen in this fight, but eventually it will happen.
This fight is about Stevenson staying busy and defending his title while Concecao is getting his title shot and earning a much bigger paycheck. Nothing else. Not a competitive fight. On the other hand, what makes boxing so cool is the rare mega upset that turns boxing’s trajectory upside down. Stevenson is being groomed to be a major star in the sport for years to come with all kinds of big fights lined up for him in several different weight classes.
Asshole can’t even make weight.