Shakur Stevenson: record, next fight and profile →
Virgin Hotels, Las Vegas - For the WBO's interim-super featherweight title, Shakur Stevenson (16-0, 8 KOs) dominated Jeremiah Nakathila (21-2, 17 KOs) over twelve rounds to secure a lopsided unanimous decision. The scores were 120-107 across the board.
By Keith Idec - Shakur Stevenson was masterful defensively Saturday night and dropped a supposedly superior puncher. The undefeated southpaw went the distance for the third time in his past four fights, yet Stevenson thoroughly out-classed Jeremiah Nakathila throughout their 12-round, 130-pound title fight in Las Vegas. The skillful Stevenson, who floored Nakathila late in the fourth round, impressed the judges enough to win all 12 rounds on the cards of Max De Luca, Lisa Giampa and Dave Moretti – each of whom scored the Newark, New Jersey, native a 120-107 winner.
Stevenson, Nakathila Scorecard BoxingScene Live - Shakur Stevenson (15-0, 8 KOs), a former WBO featherweight world champion, will battle Jeremiah Nakathila (21-1, 17 KOs) for the vacant WBO interim junior lightweight world title at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. (photos by Mikey Williams)
Shakur Stevenson’s promoter touted the undefeated, 23-year-old southpaw as the best young boxer in the sport during a press conference Thursday in Las Vegas. Jeremiah Nakathila respectfully disagrees with Bob Arum’s assessment of the former WBO featherweight champion. Nakathila told BoxingScene.com that he considers the heavily favored Stevenson an ordinary opponent.
Shakur Stevenson would much rather challenge Jamel Herring for the WBO junior lightweight title Saturday night. The former WBO featherweight champion expects to encounter Herring next for his 130-pound championship. First, however, he must get past an opponent he considers dangerous in Jeremiah Nakathila.
Jeremiah Nakathila is counting the hours to the biggest moment of his professional boxing career. It happens this coming Saturday evening when the super featherweight contender challenges unbeaten Shakur Stevenson on a card promoted by Top Rank at the Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Jeremiah Nakathila is a rare highly ranked contender in that he maintains a full-time job other than boxing. Nakathila is a police officer in Windhoek, his hometown and the capital city of Namibia. Once Shakur Stevenson heard about Nakathila’s primary occupation during a press conference Thursday in Las Vegas, the former WBO featherweight champion added that to the long list of reasons he doesn’t think Nakathila has any chance to beat him Saturday night.
By the end of this weekend, Jamel Herring should have a clear view on his next fight. For now, plans point to his defending the WBO junior lightweight versus Shakur Stevenson (15-0, 8KOs), providing the former featherweight titlist emerges victorious on Saturday night. Newark’s Stevenson faces Namibia’s Jeremia Nakathila for the WBO interim title, which will further solidify his written guarantee of a straightaway shot at Herring (23-2, 11KOs) as long as he wants it.
Jamel Herring isn’t the 130-pound champion that Shakur Stevenson really wants to fight next. Stevenson would prefer to challenge unbeaten WBC champion Oscar Valdez (29-0, 23 KOs), the fighter Stevenson considers the man to beat in their division. Based on their schedules, however, Stevenson thinks it is more likely that he’ll box WBO junior lightweight champ Jamel Herring after facing Jeremiah Nakathila on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Shakur Stevenson Video Interview - Shakur Stevenson (15-0, 8 KOs), a former WBO featherweight world champion, will battle Jeremiah Nakathila (21-1, 17 KOs) for the vacant WBO interim junior lightweight world title at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. (photos by Mikey Williams)