Shakur Stevenson, Artem Harutyunyan Both Make Weight For ESPN Headliner In Newark
Shakur Stevenson’s last title fight in his hometown ended with his losing his belt at the scales.
This time, it could be his current promoter that is ultimately left behind.
Stevenson weighed 134.1 pounds, well under the limit this time around for the first defense of his WBC lightweight title. The 2016 Olympic Silver medalist and three-division titleholder faces Artem Harutyunyan (12-1, 7 KOs), who was 134.8 pounds.
Their scheduled 12-round bout headlines an ESPN quadrupleheader from Prudential Center in Stevenson’s hometown of Newark, New Jersey.
Stevenson (21-0, 10 knockouts), No. 4 at 135 by The Ring, fights for the fourth time at this location. His most recent trip came last April, when he stopped unbeaten Shuichiro Yoshino (16-0 at the time) in the sixth round of their WBC title eliminator.
It was a night of redemption for Stevenson, who missed weight ahead of a Sept. 2022 win over Robson Conceicao. He was forced to vacate his RING, lineal, WBC and WBO junior lightweight titles as a result.
Saturday marks the final fight of Stevenson’s promotional contract with Top Rank. The 27-year-old southpaw signed with the Las Vegas-based powerhouse upon turning pro from the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Title reigns in three divisions have followed. However, he’s yet to experience the type of blockbuster events enjoyed by his elite-level peers in and around the weight.
Stevenson has been vocal about his desire to test the free agent market after Saturday.
Harutyunyan has not fought since a narrow 12-round defeat to then-unbeaten Frank Martin last July 15 in Las Vegas. The Hamburg-based Armenian pushed Martin to the limit but faded late in his U.S. debut. He was forced to take a knee in the 12th and final round, and lost on all three scorecards.
O’Shaquie Foster puts his WBC 130-pound belt at stake versus 2016 Olympic Gold medalist Robson Conceicao.
Foster (22-2, 12 KOs), The Ring’s No. 2- rated junior lightweight, weighed 129.9 pounds ahead of his second title defense. Brazil’s Conceicao (18-2-1, 9 KOs), No. 9 at 130, was 129 ½ pounds for his fourth attempt at a major title.
2020 Olympic Silver medalist Keyshawn Davis, No. 8 at 135, and veteran puncher Miguel Madueno meet in a ten-round lightweight bout. Davis (10-0, 7 KOs)—a stablemate of three-division champ Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford—weighed 134.8 pounds. Mexico’s Madueno (31-2, 28 KOs) weighed 134.7 pounds.
Opening the telecast, red-hot lightweight prospect Abdullah Mason meets Luis Lebron in a scheduled eight-round contest. Cleveland’s Mason (13-0, 11 KOs) weighed 134.8 pounds. Puerto Rico’s Lebron (20-5-1, 13 KOs) was 135.8 pounds.
Below are the weights for the ESPN+ preliminary undercard.
10 rounds, junior lightweight
William Foster III (17-1, 11 KOs), New Haven, Connecticut, 130.4 pounds
Eridson Garcia (18-1, 12 KOs), Houston via Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 130.7 pounds
4 rounds, featherweight
Keith Colon (pro debut, Newark), 125.3 pounds
Hunter Turbyfill (4-1, 1 KO), Memphis, Tennessee, 124.1 pounds
8 rounds, junior welterweight
Kelvin Davis (12-0, 7 KOs), Norfolk, Virginia, 142.9 pounds
Kevin Johnson (12-3, 8 KOs), Las Vegas, 142 ½ pounds
4 rounds, heavyweight
Ali Feliz (2-0, 2 KOs), Danbury, Connecticut, 219 ½ pounds
Robinson Perez (2-0, 0 KOs), Southbridge, Massachusetts, 245.1 pounds
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