By: Sean Crose
WBC light-weight champion Shakur Stevenson put his title, in addition to his undefeated 21-0 report, on the road Saturday night time in his native Newark, New Jersey as he took on the 12-1 Artem Harutyunyan. The combat was a scheduled 12 rounder and was the primary occasion of an ESPN High Rank card.
The 2 males felt one another out early on. By the later a part of the primary, Harutyunyan was working to get in on the southpaw Shakur whereas Shakur saved his man at bay with a crisp proper hand jab. Issues remained reasonably sluggish paced within the second as Stevenson determined to play it cool in opposition to his twitchy foe. The third remained sluggish, although Stevenson was in a position to nail his man to the physique on the bell. Stevenson subtly utilized strain within the fourth, which resulted in Harutyunyan not controlling the motion.
Whereas Stevenson was in a position to land clear pictures within the fifth, the tempo of the combat remained sluggish sufficient that it took a eager eye to see what Stevenson was as much as. It was a profitable technique, although not an entertaining one. With that being stated, Harutyunyan low on gasoline within the sixth. Stevenson, free to throw laborious pictures, was in full management.
By the seventh, it was clear Stevenson was just too sturdy and expert for his recreation opponent. Harutyunyan was giving all of it he might, nevertheless it clearly wasn’t sufficient. As for Stevenson, he banged away at Harutyunyan, however by no means gave the impression to be going full blast as some fighters in his place would. Subsequently, some followers may very well be heard booing within the eighth.
Issues remained slow-paced within the ninth. Harutyunyan, nonetheless, was in a position to land in quantity at occasions. “In the event you do your job you’ll knock this motherfucker out,” Stevenson’s coach informed him in between rounds. The tenth was uneventful, although Stevenson argued along with his nook after the spherical. The eleventh performed out on the identical tempo because the overwhelming majority of the combat had.
The twelfth and closing spherical was a quiet affair, very like the earlier eleven rounds. Stevenson continued to largely dominate, and left the ring with a choice victory beneath his belt. He was masterful – however not significantly pleasing to look at. Certainly, Stevenson’s lack of a “killer intuition” or uncooked energy might sadly preserve him from turning into a fan favourite – a pity for therefore expert a fighter.
*Photos: High Rank
