By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda
For an ambitious Japanese ringman named Shuichiro Yoshino (16-0, 12 KOs), it is good news that he will participate in a WBC lightweight eliminator with also unbeaten ex-two-division champ Shakur Stevenson (19-0, 9 KOs) in Newark NJ on April 8. Yoshino, a dual regional titleholder of the OPBF (Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation) and the WBO ASPAC (WBO Asia Pacific), boldly said, “I’ll beat Stevenson on his home turf, and wish to challenge unified champion Devin Haney.”
Who is Yoshino? Yoshino, 31, is a half-breed of a Japanese father and a Filipino mother, having compiled an excellent amateur mark of 104-20. Having graduated from Tokyo Agricultural University, Shuichiro didn’t turn professional but worked in a company for a year before he made up his mind to enter the paid ranks from Misako Gym at the age of twenty-four. The 5’9” boxer-puncher quickly acquired the national 135-pound belt by halting Spicy Matsushita in seven hot rounds in his sixth pro bout in 2017, and won the OPBF and WBO ASPAC belts by quickly dismantling Filipino Harmonito Dela Torre in the opening session in his tenth bout in 2019.
Since then, Yoshino, a durable hard-puncher, registered seven defenses of the national title, and kept the WBO AP title three times to his credit. He lately decked a couple of important victories over such world-rated compatriots as ex-WBO world junior lightweight boss Masayuki Ito (now retired to start a new career as promoter) and ex-world title challenger Masayoshi Nakatani in succession to prove to be the best lightweight boxer here in Japan.
Against Shakur Stevenson, Yoshino has nothing to lose. He may cope with the superior hand speed of Shakur with his height advantage, physical power and strong heart. Time will tell.
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I can’t envision him beating Shakur even in Japan.
Yoshino can fight and I expect him to give a good performance, but he won’t be Stevenson and he won’t come close; but good for him for taking his shot when so many others passed it by.
Yoshino will 1st get outboxed, then, KTFO.
Japanese fighters very determined. Think he has a good chance of winning this.
Shakur is one of the ugly fighting style running around he is not a warrior. Shakur is boring fighter look hes k.o percentage nothing
This guy is horrible, slow, no power, no upper body movement how did this guy win 16 fights? Shakur makes easy work of him..but better question who did this guy defeat to get a title shot?
This isn’t a title shot, it’s an eliminator. Yoshino beat Ito who was a former world champion and he stopped Nakatani who’d been in with Lopez and Loma and beat Felix Verdejo. He did that last year, that’s why he was ranked.
Japan hasn’t won a big time fight since Godzilla. Lol
“half breed” well that’s one way to say mixed race
I thought that term only applied to injuns
Not Likely..
If he puts up a good account of himself, Pacquiao may want to fight him at 140. Only way he beats Shakur is a clean KO. Possible for a technical draw or a not contest, things can happen.
Well that suit is a TKO but my man will be lucky to win a round against Stevenson
HRLR fight for Shakur.