MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV - Last week BoxingScene.com reported that unbeaten featherweights Shakur Stevenson (12-0) and Joet Gonzalez (23-0) will collide on October 26th in Reno, Nevada. The fight will headline a card that will be streamed on ESPN+
The WBO featherweight title that previously belonged to Oscar Valdez will be at stake. Valdez vacated the title last month and announced that he would be moving up to the junior lightweight division.
A purse bid for the fight had been scheduled but was canceled last Friday when Top Rank and Golden Boy came to terms for the fight.
"Shakur Stevenson is fighting Joet Gonzalez for the vacant WBO featherweight title and that will be on October 26th in Reno," confirmed Top Rank CEO Bob Arum.
The fight will showcase two of the best upcoming featherweights in the sport and there is a real animosity between the two fighters that has led to exchanges on social media outlets.
However, the animosity in this particular case is more personal than typical beefs between fighters.
Two undefeated fighters who haven’t yet reached their primes and are fighting for a world title won’t be the angle that will be pushed to hype this fight.
"That isn't the story. The story is that Stevenson and Gonzalez have a great animosity towards each other and Stevenson dates Gonzalez's sister. That is the story. It is like West Side Story," Arum told BoxingScene.com.
Bantamweight contender Josh Greer will face Antonio Nieves in the co-feature bout.
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