Shakur Stevenson guarantees “Vintage Kur” performance against Schofield

WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson says fans should tune into his February 22 fight against Floyd Schofield in Riyadh to see “vintage Kur.“

What Shakur (22-0, 10 KOs) means by “vintage” stuff about him could be translated as code for him to be on his bike, using his no-hitting style to win a points decision .

It would mean something if “vintage” Shakur was an exciting, brawling style that fans could expect, but he has NEVER been that type of fighter.

Stevenson has had a Mayweather-like old fossil fighting approach since turning pro at the Olympics. It’s like a musician from the 1940s time warped into the 21st century.

Can Shakur entertain?

For Stevenson, it’s important to make it entertaining because this is Turki Alalshikh’s card, and there will be plenty of boxing fans rooting for the contest, which can be seen live on DAZN.

If Shakur wants to headline some of the future shows instead of being buried on the undercard like he is on the Feb. 22 card, he needs to stay in the pocket and deal with the 22-year-old Schofield (18-0, 12 KOs). ). He needs to put his chin on the line to be entertaining for the fans if he wants a higher spot on future Turki cards.

He wants wrestlers who entertain the fans, and Shakur doesn’t meet those standards, or at least he hasn’t in the past. It’s not too late for Stevenson to turn around and become a pocket fighter, but I don’t think he can. It has too much rabbit in it.

“Kid Austin is 22 years old. Tommy Hearns fought Ray Leonard at age 21 (correction: Thomas ‘Hitman’ Hearn first fought Sugar Ray Leonard at 22 years and 10 months on September 16, 1981). I don’t enter in this. Manny Pacquiao was champion at 19 and Floyd Mayweather at 21,” said Stephen Edwards to Fighthype when asked if Floyd Schofield is too young at 22 to fight WBC Lightweight Champion Shakur Stevenson.

“(Mike) Tyson was champion at 20. Muhammad Ali at 22. Salvador Sanchez at 20. He could go down the list,” Edwards said. “Oscar De La Hoya, and Felix Trinidad. I think he was champion at 20. Even Canelo and Inoue. They are two of the best guys of this era. They won championships at the age of 20 and 21”.

Stephen doesn’t say that those fighters were much better than Schofield, and that they had been great before they won their first world titles. They weren’t fighting lower level fighters like Schofield has. This is something that Edwards ignores, with his mention of great fighters of the past who won world titles at an early age.

“Is it a hard fight? yes Will Shakur be a prohibitive favorite? Yes,” Edwards said of the Stevenson vs. Schofield fight on Feb. 22. “Did Kid Austin fight in his last fight (against Rene Tellez Giron)? yes I still give him (Kid Austin) credit for taking this fight. Sometimes you want to take these fights at your physical best.

“Sometimes youth overcomes a lot of things and they seem confident,” Edwards said of Schofield and his father, Floyd Sr. “Let them fight. I never say that. I never try to stop a guy from wanting to fight. If you think you’re good enough, go in there and fight. Do I think he’s going to win?

“I actually think Shakur is one of the best 10-12 fighters on the planet. Shakur is a special guy, too. But athletic, tough guys tend to give tough fights to soft boxers. Shawn Porter gave everybody tough fights, and that’s what Kid Austin reminds me of. Tim Bradley is in the Hall of Fame. He was tough, athletic, and gave everybody a tough fight,” Edwards said.

Is Shakur overrated?

Stevenson is not one of the best fighters on the planet, not even close. His fighting style is not among the best in boxing and it is not entertaining to watch. He’s a defensive guy, and that’s it. To be one of the best fighters in the sport, you have to balance offense and defense.

Shakur is only defensive. It has 95% defense and 5% attack. His close win over Edwin De Los Santos last year proved that he is not one of the best fighters on the planet because if he was, he would have dominated him instead of being booed out of the T-Mobile Arena that night in Las Vegas. Edwards was wrong.

The previous chances to beat Schofield are to be aggressive, throw power punches and constantly pressure Shakur in every round of the fight. He will have to be good at cutting off the ring because Stevenson will be constantly moving, as he always does, trying not to get hit.

February 22 belt 2 ass make sure you tune in Watch me hit Kid Austin like I stole something… Vintage Kur is back 🦾

— Shakur Stevenson (@ShakurStevenson) December 24, 2024