Shakur Stevenson and boxing came back with a bang on Wednesday night. The WBO featherweight world champion, who was making his super featherweight debut, knocked out Puerto Rican contender Felix Caraballo in the sixth round of a scheduled 10-rounder at MGM Grand Conference Center—Grand Ballroom in Las Vegas.
Stevenson showcased his talents in the first significant boxing card in the United States since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
A body shot spelled the end for Caraballo (13-2-2, 9 KOs), who had won five in a row before tonight. For Stevenson (14-0, 8 KOs), the sky remains the limit.
“Everything about this fight week was different. After my last fight was canceled, I was happy to showcase my skills for all of the boxing fans,” Stevenson said. “He hit me with a couple shots, more than I’m used to, a couple jabs here and there. He was a tough guy, but I felt great in there after my training camp in Houston.”
This was a nice tune-up for Stevenson. It was an opportunity to get in some rounds, and a chance to test himself at a new weight. According to his promoter, Bob Arum, the 22-year-old Stevenson has a very bright future.
“What a magnificent performance by Shakur Stevenson,” Arum said. “He keeps on getting better, and rest assured, he is a future pound-for-pound superstar.”
Stevenson is special, and based on what we have seen thus far in his career, he can be one of the best in the sport. It should be interesting to see if he goes back down to 126 or stays at 130. All that will probably depend on the opportunities that are out there.
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