Felix Caraballo Feels ‘No Pressure’ Ahead Of Shakur Stevenson Bout

Felix Caraballo (13-1-2, 9 KO) is only a day away from the biggest fight of his professional career. The Puerto Rican knows he is walking into his super featherweight bout with Shakur Stevenson (13-0, 7 KO) as a heavy underdog but is refusing to let the odds derail what will be a special moment for the Mayaguez native.

” I feel great, I feel emotional. My last fight was in January and knowing that I’m going to fight now in June with Shakur Stevenson, knowing that he’s one of the best boxers right now, and he’s the {featherweight} champion. I’m a 126, too, but they gave me this opportunity at 130, and I’m going to go and give it my all,” Caraballo said during a recent media conference call.

“I don’t got no pressure. I feel that this moment, I have to give it all, and this is a great opportunity, like I always say. And I’m going to fight, I’m going to give it all on June 9.”

Tomorrow’s fight will be the first time Caraballo has fought outside of Puerto Rico, and he is planning on making the most of this unexpected opportunity.

“I never thought I was going to fight this year again because of this whole pandemic. I thought I wasn’t going to fight this year. And when I got the call, well, I was excited, I just got ready and started training harder because I never stopped training. But I got excited, and I started training hard for this fight. I started training more.

At 22-years-of age, Stevenson is still years away from reaching his prime, but the former US Olympian is already being talked about as one of boxing hottest prospects.

Shakur is — I said it when we did our first fight — a future star in the sport of boxing, a future superstar. I look at him as the southpaw version of Floyd Mayweather, and I think he will exceed the performances by Floyd. I just think he’s a rare, rare talent,” Top Rank’s Bob Arum said during the call.

Caraballo is fully aware of Stevenson’s ability but is promising that it will not all be one-way traffic in Las Vegas tomorrow night.

” I know that I’m going with a great boxer. He’s got speed, he’s got technique, but I’m going to work. He’s going to make me work and I’m going to make him work. I know it’s going to be a great fight, and I get motivated because I know that this opportunity doesn’t happen twice.”

Do you think Caraballo has a chance against Stevenson?