Boxing
Shakur Stevenson stops Felix Caraballo with a body shot in boxing's return from the COVID-19 pandemic
Shakur Stevenson put on a blistering boxing clinic to score a sixth-round stoppage against Felix Caraballo on Tuesday in the main event of ESPN's first televised boxing card since the COVID-19 pandemic struck. The event, held at the MGM Grand Conference Center Grand Ballroom in Las Vegas, marked the first of ESPN's summer series of fights with multiple cards planned each week as the sport looks to get back to some semblance of normalcy since being shut down in March.
Although the main event was little more than a glorified sparring session, it was good to have boxing back.
The 22-year-old Stevenson — who holds the WBO featherweight title — has been touted as one of the fastest rising stars in the sport. The 2016 Olympic silver medalist turned pro in April 2017 and quickly made a name for himself with one exceptional boxing clinic after another.
Caraballo was just another name to add to the resume.
Having to overcome a significant skill gap, Caraballo attempted to bull his way forward and smother Stevenson's ability to use his technical ability. But the slick Stevenson was able to use his technical ability and fast hands to keep Caraballo dazed and confused while overwhelming him with offense from all angles.
Stevenson (14-0, 8 KOs) started off quickly and dropped Caraballo with a right hook to the body in the opening round of the non-title 130-pound attraction.
It was a sign of things to come from Stevenson, who wore a "Black Lives Matter" shirt as he entered the ring to Tupac Shakur's "Changes."
A right hand rattled Caraballo in the second round, and the young fighter cranked up the pressure with a high-octane assault that mixed in combinations, body punching and a stiff jab.
Although Stevenson appeared to hurt his left hand in the sixth round, it didn't stop the one-way traffic from steamrolling his overmatched opponent.
A left hook to the body spelled out Caraballo's demise as the Puerto Rican fell to his knees and audibly groaned in pain. Referee Tony Weeks had no reason to count and called a halt to the fight at the 1:31 mark.
"I came here to get him out of there I hit him with everything I could early," Stevenson said. "He took a lot of punishment. I realized the headshots weren't going to get him out of here, so I had to go to the body."
The future is mighty bright for Stevenson, and Top Rank's Bob Arum sees the 22-year-old as a potential pound-for-pound great.
“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.”
