Shakur Stevenson Drops Shuichiro Yoshino Twice Before Stopping Him In Six Rounds

Shakur Stevenson completely dominated his opponent, Shuichiro Yoshino, by dropping and stopping him in six rounds.

Stevenson, with a record of 20 wins, no losses and 10 knockouts, was a heavy favorite when he stepped into the ring. And the pressure on him to deliver in front of his home town was immense given what was at stake.

Yoshino started the fight aggressively, but Stevenson was able to use his jab and a check hook to keep him at bay, making the first round a calculated one for him.

In the following round, Stevenson started by delivering a blow to Yoshino’s body. He positioned himself in front of the Japanese fighter and used his precise jab to land a series of combination punches from a distance.

Stevenson’s dominance was evident as he knocked Yoshino down with a straight left-hand, marking a clear difference in class.

Precision 🎯 and Power 💪 @ShakurStevenson drops his opponent in the second round. #StevensonYoshino pic.twitter.com/2CiskGXjIF

— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) April 9, 2023

While Yoshino’s legs were stable, a check hook and a left hand rattled him as Stevenson continued to land with stunning accuracy. Another left hand to the body and a right hook landed, as it was clearly a one-sided fight. 

In the fourth round, Stevenson landed a left uppercut on Yoshino and proceeded to throw punches at his body.

He also used a powerful right hand that pushed Yoshino backwards and a left hand that connected solidly. Then a big right sent Yoshino to the ground once more.

Another knockdown for @ShakurStevenson 😳 #StevensonYoshino pic.twitter.com/OyGlOonu93

— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) April 9, 2023

Things did not get better, as Yoshino was hit by a hard check hook even after getting up. In response, the referee spoke with Yoshino’s team and warned them that if the Japanese fighter didn’t show some aggression, it would be stopped.

And that was only a matter of time. Yoshino received further uppercuts from Stevenson, which prompted the referee to intervene and prevent further harm.

The referee had seen enough 😤 @ShakurStevenson is at a different level at lightweight. #StevensonYoshino pic.twitter.com/6mauBjGY9R

— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) April 9, 2023

Although Yoshino’s team protested, coupled with a few jeers from the crowd, it ultimately brought forward the inevitable.

The performance by Stevenson on his debut in the 135 lb division was remarkable and sent a message to the other prominent fighters, most notably the undisputed champion Devin Haney.

As a result of his victory, he has been declared as the mandatory challenger for either Haney or Vasiliy Lomachenko by the WBC, as the latter two face off on May 20th, 2023.

Post-Fight Comments

Shakur Stevenson [@ShakurStevenson] | POST-FIGHT INTERVIEW: On a future fight with Devin Haney [@Realdevinhaney]: ‘Tell him come on … me and Devin been in the ring with each other for years, I’ve always got the best of Devin’ 🤔 #ShakurYoshino | #Boxingpic.twitter.com/pRQ1DQxmxK

— RINGOFHIGHLIGHTS (@ringofhighlight) April 9, 2023

“He felt my power. I sat down on a couple punches, dropped. Honestly, I wanted the ref to let it go on a little bit longer. I’d just caught my second wind. I was gonna put him out. I was gonna stretch him.

“Just tell all the other lightweights get ready. I can’t wait for them to finish the fights they’ve got going on, and then it’s my turn.

“Tell him [Haney] to come on [and fight me]. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. I swear to God. Me and Devin have been in the ring with each other for years. I always got the best of Devin,” Stevenson