Heavyweight contender Stephan Shaw believes he will put the knockout record of Raphael Akpejiori to the test. 

Shaw, who has wrapped up training camp in San Diego ahead of his fight at the Maryland Live Casino, Hanover, boxes on ProBox TV against the 6ft 8ins, 18-1 (17 KOs) Akpejiori on Saturday. 

He believes he has nothing to fear.

“Most of those guys look like they laid down for him,” said Shaw of his opponent’s glossy record to ProBox TV. “A lot of tomato cans.”

Shaw, a former Deontay Wilder sparring partner, is from St Louis, Missouri, and said he is ready to shine. 

He has scored back-to-back first round knockouts since the only two defeats of his 20-2 (15 KOs) career, which came against world-rated Efe Ajagba and then Joseph Goodall. 

Against Goodall, Shaw said he was beset with so many personal issues that he could not even get to San Diego for his camp. Of his fight with Ajagba, who in May fights Martin Bakole in an IBF title eliminator, Shaw reflected: “It’s a part of the game. The fight I had with Ajagba, I took on two and a half weeks’ notice and it just didn’t go my way. I didn’t feel like I performed my best, but I didn’t feel like I lost that fight as well. I didn’t feel like Ajagba beat me. I definitely feel like that fight could have been a draw, but that fight’s behind me and I’m looking forward to April 12.”
Ajagba won 96-94 on all three scorecards. 

“I’m ready to show what I can do,” he said of fighting in Hanover. “I’ve been doing this all my life. The adjustment [from the two losses] was get back focused, get back dialled in and continue to love the sport, don’t overlook no opponent, don’t take no one for granted and I’ll show everything I’ve been working on.”

That Ajagba is now in big fights only illustrates to Shaw that he could be there, too – if he keeps winning.

“I belong up there with those guys,” he said. “Ajagba is in there with a big fight with Martin Bakole and I’m right there. I’m not overlooking this guy. I’m taking this guy very seriously. 

“You’re definitely going to see boxing skills, and you’re definitely going to see power shots. Especially from me. I’m not coming to play. I’m coming to make a statement and this is a great opponent to show everything that I have.

“It [winning well on Saturday] shows I’m one of the top contenders in the world, soon to be world champion. That’s always been my mission. I truly love boxing. I didn’t let anything discourage or distract me. I know what I have to do.”