Highlights and results: Stevenson beats Conceicao by decision in Newark

Shakur Stevenson got the win over Robson Conceicao, sending two belts vacant at 130 lbs.

Shakur Stevenson did his normal thing for the most part this evening, winning a clear decision over Robson Conceicao in a fight that lost luster on the scales Friday when Stevenson missed weight.

Stevenson won on official scores of 117-109, 117-109, and 118-108. Bad Left Hook had it 116-110 and 119-107 for Stevenson, who was docked a point in the ninth round for a hiptoss, and could have been more harshly penalized later for the same thing, but wasn’t.

The end result sends two titles, the WBC and WBO belts at 130 lbs, into official vacancy, as they were only on the line for Conceicao in Newark.

Stevenson (19-0, 9 KO) was at times dominant in this fight, when he got on the front foot and did some damage, even if he never had Conceicao (17-2, 8 KO) in any tremendous danger.

The ringside physician did check on Conceicao between the seventh and eighth rounds, when Stevenson was peaking in the fight, but that seemed to alert Conceicao to the fact that he had to do more, and he did try down the stretch, which saw Stevenson back off a bit, though he would have a great 11th round.

There was plenty of roughhouse sort of stuff in this fight, with Stevenson appearing to stray low — while also doing legitimately good body work — and Conceicao holding frequently, which led to Stevenson’s frustration on the aforementioned hiptosses.

“I had a long week,” Stevenson said. “I killed myself to make weight. All I wanted to do was come in here and perform, and I did everything I could to do that.”

“I’m just a dominant individual. Even with me versus (Conceicao) and the ref, I did everything I could to try to beat him up as much as I can,” he added. “He held me the whole night, but I did everything I could. As soon as I got on the inside, he would grab me. But he’s real awkward and real tough, and he knows how to survive.”

Asked who he might want to target now that he’s moving up to lightweight, Stevenson said, “Everybody at 135 gotta get it. Anybody (can be next).”

After being blatantly led by interviewer Bernardo Osuna, Stevenson did get around to calling out Devin Haney.

The fight did an announced attendance of 10,107, breaking the boxing record for the Prudential Center in Newark.

Stevenson vs Conceicao highlights

Keyshawn Davis TKO-5 Omar Tienda

Another excellent outing from Davis, the 23-year-old blue chipper and Tokyo silver medalist, as he goes to 6-0 (5 KO) with a stoppage of the veteran Tienda (25-6, 18 KO).

This was always about the expectation, Tienda is a 34-year-old vet who’d been on a win streak, but nobody thought he’d be competitive or even win. But the eye test tells you that Davis is the real deal, just an excellent talent who is a mature, skilled fighter for his age, doesn’t need a lot of adjustment or pro polishing, and should be fairly fast-tracked.

I’m not saying he’ll be in a world title fight in his next two or three, but he’s so far beyond this level, they gotta step him up to someone halfway credible in the next fight or two, and he’ll fight for world titles before his 15th fight, surely. As long as all goes according to current trajectory, anyway.

Davis has the same ideas.

“We’re working towards becoming a contender,” he said. “My next fight is gonna put me in that process faster, and next year we’re definitely going to be contending. We’re going to be top 10 next year, for sure.”

Prelims results and highlights

• Henry Lebron UD-8 Andy Vences: A solid win and a nice performance overall from Lebron (17-0, 10 KO), who was just too quick, accurate, and sharp for Vences (23-4-1, 12 KO), who at this point is clearly a high-level prospect-checker and “Second Chance Tournament” sort of fighter, not that I expect we’ll ever get another one of those. Scores were 78-74, 79-73, and 80-72, all fair, and two rounds was the most you could have given Vences, and it’s what I gave him, my card was 78-74 for Lebron, too.
• Bruce Carrington UD-6 Jose Argel: Not the best night for Carrington (5-0, 3 KO), but mainly because he injured his right thumb in the fight and was reduced to just his left hand for the back half. The good news for him, the positive spin here, is that when he had only a jab, he jabbed the hell out of Argel (9-5, 3 KO). You hope this isn’t any meaningful injury, because Carrington’s 25 and a little old for where he is; that’s not a giant red flag, but a little yellow one. The hope was really that he’d advance fairly quickly, and any setbacks that cost him real time would stink for him and for Top Rank and for us, because he’s a talented fighter. He got scores of 60-54 across the board here.
• Pablo Valdez KO-4 Noe Alejandro Lopez: Lopez (11-6-1, 4 KO) went down three times, and the knockout came on a body shot, the finishing blow of a sustained attack. Valdez (7-0, 6 KO) is a 39-year-old guy who is popular in the New York area and sells some tickets. He is not a rising contender and it’s unlikely he ever fights someone genuinely good. But he’s a dude who has made something of his life after having some trouble along the way, and a good story.

• Jahi Tucker UD-8 Jose Luis Sanchez: Not Tucker’s most thrilling performance but legit useful rounds, good matchmaking for the kid. Tucker (9-0, 5 KO) wins clearly over eight rounds and Sanchez (11-3-1, 4 KO) earned his money. Not bad for a 19-year-old to get eight solid rounds from a game opponent. Scores were 79-73, 80-72, and 80-72.
• Misael Lopez UD-8 Orlando Gonzalez: Really good fight, a nice little Mexico vs Puerto Rico scrap. Thought it could have been even or maybe even gone to Gonzalez 5-3, or also to Lopez 5-3. Scores were 77-75 (so 5-3) and then 78-74 and 79-73; I think 6-2 is a little wide, and 7-1 is really wide, but it’s a good win for Lopez (14-1, 5 KO), and a tough setback for Gonzalez (18-2, 11 KO). Jamel Herring, who is part of Lopez’s management team, was really vocal ringside and having a good time.
• Floyd Diaz UD-6 Juan Hernandez: Scores were 58-55, 58-55, and 59-54. Diaz (7-0, 2 KO) mostly sharp again, definitely had more skills, but fellow #teen Hernandez (2-2-1, 0 KO) gave a solid scrap here, give him credit, but Diaz got a knockdown and the deserved W.

• Antoine Cobb D-4 Jaylan Phillips: This was a rematch of a draw in April on the Stevenson vs Valdez card. This was another draw. Neither of these guys have a notable future, it’s very clear. If they make it a trilogy, do we have to see it on the next Shakur undercard? Do we have to? Cobb is now 1-0-2 (1 KO) and Phillips 1-2-2 (1 KO).