Oscar Valdez vs. Shakur Stevenson – Results & Post-Fight Report

Many were aware that Shakur Stevenson has superstar potential, and the American further backed that up as he unified super featherweight titles at MGM Grand in Las Vegas with a wide points win over Mexico’s Oscar Valdez.

Both men came into this one as two weight world champions, with Valdez entering the ring in Vegas as WBC champion, having won the belt in February last year with a stunning knockout of Miguel Berchelt.

Olympic Silver Medallist Stevenson came of age in his last fight, expertly ripping the WBO strap away from Jamel Herring with a tenth round stoppage victory. Both were unbeaten in a combined 47 fights before the opening bell.

It was a dominant performance by the gifted 24-year-old Stevenson, and he began off a razor-sharp jab, allowing him to set Valdez up for left hands and flashy combinations, with round two more of the same in what was accurate work for the man from Virginia. Valdez did work to the body during the round, but was a distant second best in the early stages.

The Mexican did come to life in the third, cutting off the ring and closing the gap to work effectively, but Stevenson soon restored order, darting in and out and landing with stinging shots. Stevenson’s jab was an impressive weapon, and after more combinations off the range finder in round five, he landed a knockdown in the sixth, catching an off-balance Valdez with a sweeping right hand. The WBC champion comfortably beat the count, but was fast being outgunned young, hungry Stevenson.

Valdez bravely tried to close the gap in the seventh, but his opponent was just simply too skilled, and had an answer for everything that was coming his way, and the championship rounds saw more dominance from the unified champion in waiting. Valdez was gambling more and more, and missing wildly with big shots, allowing Stevenson to counter and get out of trouble quickly. As the fight reached its final frame, there was little doubt as to who would be the winner, and Stevenson put the exclamation mark on a superb performance by being elusive and first to the punch, dancing and posturing as the final bell ended a masterful display.

The result was academic, and two scores of 118-109, and a third at 117-110 sealed the win, and the new unified belt holder proposed to his partner post-fight, and then expressed a desire to clean out the 130 pound division, before potentially moving up in weight, with a fight against WBC champion Devin Haney a possibility.

The undercard was a quiet one, with eight rounders propping up the main event. Lightweight hope Keyshawn Davis made it five straight wins as a professional, as he stopped Esteban Sanchez in six, and at lightweight, Raymond Muratalla scored a third round knockout win against Jeremy Hill. Andres Cortez moved to 17-0 as a professional, as the Las Vegas native knocked out Alexis del Bosque in six.

The sole six rounder went the way off Troy Isley, with the middleweight prospect notching a second round knockout win against Anthony Hannah.

In four round action, son of the legend, Nico Ali Walsh, saw action at middleweight, and duly took a first round stoppage win against Alejandro Ibarra, who came with just one defeat in his previous eight bouts. Super lightweight Abdullah Mason took less than a round to stop Luciano Ramos, and at welterweight, Antoine Cobb and Jaylan Phillips fight to a majority draw.