Stevenson KO’s Guevara in thrilling homecoming

Rising featherweight star Shakur Stevenson made a triumphant homecoming as he blew out Alberto Guevara in a dominant third-round knockout efficiency to retain his regional belt and transfer to the precipice of a shot at a world title on Saturday evening in Newark, New Jersey.

Combating earlier than a partisan crowd of 5,150 in the primary occasion of the High Rank Boxing on ESPN card on the Prudential Heart, Stevenson placed on a flawless efficiency, scoring two knockdowns within the second spherical earlier than placing Guevara away within the third spherical.

“There is just one solution to describe tonight — wonderful,” Stevenson stated of his first skilled combat in his hometown. “Seeing all of my household, mates and all people from the town come out to assist was unbelievable. We’re going to do many extra fights and even larger. We’re bringing big-time boxing again to Newark.”

Stevenson is already in a compulsory place to combat for the 126-pound world title held by Mexico’s Oscar Valdez, so he’s anticipated to both combat Valdez by the top of the yr or he may combat for a vacant belt if Valdez strikes as much as the junior light-weight division as he has talked about doing.

Stevenson want to combat High Rank stablemate Valdez for his title but additionally referred to as out world titleholder Josh Warrington of England.

“I feel it is that point,” he stated of preventing for a title. “I might like to go to England to combat Josh Warrington. We are able to try this in December. Let’s get it.”

Last punch stats

FighterTotalJabsPowerStevenson32 of 67 (48%)9 of 22 (41%)23 of 45 (51%)Guevara5 of 51 (10%)Zero of 23 (Zero%)5 of 28 (18%)– Courtesy of CompuBox

Stevenson opened the combat because the aggressor towards Guevara, who’s a counter puncher, and by no means slowed down. He landed physique photographs and lengthy proper jabs from his southpaw stance to take speedy management of the combat. Guevara had no solutions for Stevenson’s offense. Within the second spherical, Stevenson landed a left hand and proper to the physique to knock Guevara to a knee with 30 seconds to go. A straight left hand dropped him for the second time within the closing seconds of the spherical.

Stevenson (12-Zero, 7 KOs), 22, a 2016 U.S. Olympic silver medalist, continued to dominate within the third spherical earlier than touchdown a four-punch mixture — two photographs to the physique, adopted by a proper and left to the pinnacle — that dropped Guevara on his again. He tried to get to his ft however couldn’t beat the depend from referee David Fields, who waved the combat over at 2 minutes, 37 seconds.

“That was an ideal efficiency that I placed on for the town of Newark,” Stevenson stated. “I am glad they got here out to assist me. High Rank, you all gotta give me higher competitors. I need the IBF and WBO titles.

“I stunned myself right this moment. I used to be going for the physique so much. He did not seem like he was in form on the weight-in, so I went to the physique and completed him off to the pinnacle.”

In keeping with CompuBox, Stevenson landed 32 of 67 punches (48%), whereas Guevara related with solely 5 of 51 punches (10%).

Guevara, who took the combat on eight days’ discover, was the third opponent for this date with Stevenson. He was initially slated to combat Hairon Socarras (22-Zero-Three, 13 KOs), however Socarras dropped out over numerous unspecified points and was changed by Franklin Manzanilla (18-5, 17 KOs), a former junior featherweight world title challenger, who withdrew final week claiming he had flu-like signs.

Guevara (27-5, 12 KOs), 28, of Mexico, a two-time bantamweight world title challenger who had been coaching and was near the 126-pound weight restrict, accepted the combat with out hesitation. However he misplaced his second combat in a row, having been outpointed by former junior featherweight world titlist Hugo Ruiz in January.

Greer edges Potapov in eliminator

Within the co-feature, bantamweight Joshua Greer Jr. escaped with a majority choice over Nikolai Potapov in a title eliminator, in a combat Potapov dominated for lengthy stretches. The group booed the choice and ESPN analysts Andre Ward and Timothy Bradley Jr. each referred to as it a horrible choice, however Greer (21-1-1, 12 KOs), 25, of Chicago, nonetheless moved a step nearer to a shot at a world title.

One choose scored the combat 114-114, however the different two gave it to Greer by scores of 116-112 and 115-113.

“He is very awkward with the Russian type, however on the finish of the day, that is the professionals. I pulled it out,” Greer stated. “The booing did not trouble me. I do know I gained the combat. Each time I hit him to the physique, I harm him. I did not get the knockout, however I acquired the win.”

Last punch stats

FighterTotalJabsPowerGreer160 of 424 (38%)44 of 155 (28%)116 of 269 (43%)Potapov139 of 638 (22%)49 of 371 (13%)90 of 267 (34%)– Courtesy of CompuBox

The combat started slowly with every man trying to get inside, however finally Potapov started selecting off Greer’s punches and countering him effectively. Greer acquired tagged repeatedly with proper arms and confirmed no skill to regulate after getting clocked with the identical punch time and again. A proper hand from Greer shook Potapov within the closing seconds of the fifth spherical, nevertheless it was a fleeting motion.

By the eighth spherical, Potapov (20-2-1, 11 KOs), 29, a Russia native preventing out of New York, had given Greer a bloody nostril and gave the impression to be in management. Greer coach John Pullman confirmed ample concern about how the combat was going after the ninth spherical when he instructed Greer that he wanted to select up the tempo. Greer had a superb 10th spherical and appeared to harm Potapov with a left hook to the physique. Pullman begged Greer for an enormous 12th spherical, and whereas he did not ship an enormous one, he gained it on all three scorecards to achieve the victory.

In keeping with CompuBox, Greer landed 160 of 424 punches (38%) and Potapov related with 139 of 638 (22%).

“We really feel we acquired robbed, as do boxing followers,” stated Dmitriy Salita, Potapov’s promoter. “ESPN and the media had Nikolai successful. We’re going to enchantment the choice. ESPN is a good platform for the game of boxing. We’re grateful for the chance and what’s simply. Nikolai gained the combat.”

With the win, Greer moved a step nearer to a compulsory shot on the 118-pound world title held by Naoya Inoue, probably the greatest pound-for-pound fighters on this planet, who subsequent will meet Nonito Donaire within the finals of the World Boxing Tremendous Sequence match this fall. Potapov’s solely earlier loss got here when he stop after seven rounds towards former world titlist Omar Narvaez in 2017.

Extra undercard outcomes

• Junior welterweight Josue Vargas (14-1, 9 KOs), 21, a Puerto Rico native preventing out of the Bronx, New York, gained his eighth combat in a row as he stopped Manuel Lopez (14-Four-1, 7 KOs), 28, of Denver, at 2 minutes, 50 seconds of the seventh spherical of their scheduled eight-rounder. He was battering him with clear photographs, together with a number of uppercuts, when referee Sparkle Lee stepped in.

• Junior middleweight Vito Mielnicki Jr. (1-Zero, 1 KO), son of promoter Vito Mielnicki, turned the primary New Jersey boxer to show professional on the age of 17 — he was given a particular exemption by the New Jersey State Athletic Management Board — and gained by first-round knockout of Mississippi’s Tamarcus Smith (2-Three, 2 KOs), 24.

Mielnicki, who bought some 500 tickets, knocked Smith chilly with a mixture that concluded with a proper hand at 1 minute, 16 seconds.

• Junior welterweight Julian Rodriguez (17-Zero, 11 KOs), 24, of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, returned from a virtually two-year layoff, triggered primarily by accidents, to attain a first-round knockout of Hevinson Herrera (24-18-1, 18 KOs), 34, of Colombia, who misplaced his third combat in a row.

Rodriguez, generally known as “Hammer Arms,” wanted solely 59 seconds as he planted Herrera on the mat with a mixture for the total depend from referee Lee.

“I used to be very assured in my preparation, so I felt like I needed to go in there and do what I needed to do,” Rodriguez stated. “That is what [the fans] like about me. Once they come right here, they see a present.”

• Junior welterweight John Bauza (13-Zero, 5 KOs), 21, of North Bergen, New Jersey, beat and battered the sport Angel Sarinana (10-9-2, Four KOs), 26, of Mexico, in a shutout choice victory. There was loads of motion, however Bauza gained 80-72 on all three scorecards.

• Tremendous middleweight Vijender Singh (11-Zero, eight KOs), 33, a 2008 Olympic bronze medalist from India and his nation’s solely boxing medalist, returned from a 19-month layoff to attain a fourth-round knockout of Mike Snider (13-6-Three, eight KOs), 38, of Flemington, West Virginia.

Singh almost dropped Snider within the second spherical, and as he hammered him through the fourth spherical, referee Shada Murdaugh stopped it at 1 minute, 23 seconds.

“It was wonderful getting again within the ring after a very long time off. It is nice to be right here within the USA and to get the win. It was actually thrilling,” Singh stated. “It took me about 4 rounds to get again within the swing of issues. I anticipated it to take two or three rounds, nevertheless it took me 4. I felt good.”

• Light-weight prospect Joseph Adorno (13-Zero, 11 KOs), 20, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, knocked out Adriano Ramirez (10-Four, 6 KOs), 35, of the Dominican Republic, within the second spherical of their scheduled eight-rounder. Adorno despatched Ramirez to the canvas with a left hook after which dropped him once more with a follow-up mixture, and referee Lee waved off the combat at 1 minute, 12 seconds.