Óscar Valdez and Shakur Stevenson have a few things in common when it comes to professional boxing. Both fighters seek to unify their respective 130-pound-limit championships at their April 30 matchup at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Both are professionally undefeated, plan to remain so at the conclusion of their clash, and after Saturday night expect to be considered among the best pound-for-pound fighters in professional boxing.
Aside from those shared goals, each fighter marches to very different drums. World Boxing Organization junior lightweight champion Stevenson, 25, considers himself on the fast track to superstardom, which would make him seem narcissistic if he didn’t express that in such casually sincere fashion—and if so many people didn’t agree with him. The Newark-born natural fell under the spell of boxing at age 5 and trained under his grandfather’s guidance. He won 200 amateur fights and a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics. In October, he defeated Jamal Herring for the WBO belt.
Now he’s under the spell of promoter J. Prince, who advised the careers of hip-hop acts The Geto Boys and Drake before becoming involved in boxing via Andre Ward. Ward, Pernell Whitaker and Sugar Ray Leonard are several of Stevenson’s main ring inspirations, and Floyd Mayweather’s name comes up a lot in part due to expectations that Stevenson will become the sport’s next big thing.
World Boxing Council super featherweight champ Valdez doesn’t plan to make that easy for him. The 2012 Olympian from Nogales, Mexico, won the WBC title after dominating Miguel Berchelt for 10 rounds at MGM Grand Conference Center last year, knocking him out with a vicious left hook. He tested positive for a banned substance before his previous fight and has weathered a constant barrage of accusations from Stevenson about avoiding their matchup.
Valdez (30-0, 23 KOs) remains resolute that he’ll throw his punches at MGM Grand, not on social media. He has reach and height advantage over Stevenson, and a left hook that can finish off stunned opponents. Stevenson (17-0, 9 KOs) is a supremely skilled defensive fighter with speed and technique that can cause mayhem if he gets in close, especially if he can land a blow on the jaw Valdez once needed to have wired after a bout.
Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis will face off in an eight-round lightweight co-feature against veteran Esteban Sánchez that precedes the unification showdown between Valdez and Stevenson. The winner of the latter will hold two titles in the same weight class, will remain undefeated and can claim bragging rights to being included on a pound-for-pound list currently topped by Canelo Álvarez.
Valdez and Álvarez share a trainer in Eddy Reynoso, and a win against Stevenson would be redemptive for the Reynoso stable after Valdez’s scandal. Stevenson is looking at the fight as the beginning of a new chapter that puts him on top of the boxing world, expressing predictions about his destiny with unshakable confidence. There is much more at stake than two belts.
MGM Grand, 3:30 p.m. April 30, prices vary. axs.com
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