LAS VEGAS – Shakur Stevenson walked away very impressed with Curmel Moton after their six-round sparring session early this year.
One of the best boxers, pound-for-pound, in the sport sees so much promise in the 17-year-old Moton that Stevenson envisions Moton occupying a comparable position to him one day. Moton, a heavily hyped featherweight prospect promoted by Floyd Mayweather’s company, will make his pro debut on the Canelo Alvarez-Jermell Charlo undercard Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.
Moton, who went 156-7 as an amateur, received special permission from the Nevada State Athletic Commission to compete professionally prior to his 18th birthday. He’ll encounter Ezequiel Flores (4-0, 3 KOs), of Riverside, California, in a four-round bout that won’t be televised or streamed.
“I think Curmel the truth,” Stevenson told a group of reporters and videographers during his open workout Friday at the Top Rank Gym. “I had the opportunity to spar him – what fight was that? Oh, for my last fight, actually, against Yoshino, I sparred him. I think he the truth. He got speed, he got good boxing skills. I think he ready. He’s a great fighter. I can’t wait to see what happens in the future with him.”
Stevenson didn’t hesitate to compare Moton to one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in boxing when asked who Moton resembles in the ring.
“Stylistically, maybe like a Inoue, with more punches,” Stevenson said. “Because he kinda throw more punches than Inoue, because he’s fast, sharp, keep his hands up. So, I’ll say like a Inoue, with a lot more punches.”
The 26-year-old Stevenson also noted that he’s not quite the puncher Inoue is at the moment, in part because Las Vegas’ Moton is still developing physically.
“How strong of a puncher?,” Stevenson said. “I mean, he’s a kid right now, so you can’t tell how strong he is right now. Through the years, he’s probably gonna be able to punch real good, though.”
Moton has been mentored by Mayweather for more than 10 years and regularly spars against top professionals in the retired five-division champion’s gym. Stevenson therefore figures Moton will be fast-tracked into challenging fights at a young age.
“The thing is with him, he in the gym with pros every single day,” Stevenson said, “so his adjustment to the pros might be quick. Like he might be able to adjust to it real quick. So, the only advice I’ll give him is stay focused, keep doing what he doing and keep his dad [also his trainer] next to him.”
Stevenson (20-0, 10 KOs) will attempt to win a world title in a third division November 16.
The 2016 Olympic silver medalist from Newark, New Jersey is scheduled to battle Dominican southpaw Edwin De Los Santos (16-1, 14 KOs) in a 12-round fight for the vacant WBC lightweight title. ESPN will air Stevenson-De Los Santos as the main event of a doubleheader from T-Mobile Arena.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
