Jamel Herring vs. Shakur Stevenson On Tap For Oct. 23

A unified WBO Junior-Lightweight Title fight between Jamel Herring and Shakur Stevenson has been set.

Herring and Stevenson have been training partners and friends but things have taken a bit of a turn as of late. Now, the two are primed to settle their differences inside the ring and gold will be at stake. Herring is the main WBO Junior-Lightweight Champion, while Stevenson is the interim titleholder.

ESPN’s Mike Coppinger is reporting that Herring vs. Stevenson is a lock for Oct. 23. The action will be held inside the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

Before the matchup was announced, Herring told ESPN that he was mixed it up with competition far tougher than anything Stevenson has dealt with.

“I told [Stevenson] … that when the fight happens, I know it will be his toughest fight. I said it to his face: ‘I’m going to be your biggest fight, your biggest test.’ I’ve been in there with better guys than he’s fought by far.”

Stevenson laid out his plan to defeat Herring and move on to a showdown with WBC Junior-Lightweight Champion Oscar Valdez.

“We got awkward opponents with real good punching power; it’s not always easy to shine. I ain’t the only one that went through this. I go back and look at old Floyd Mayweather fights. … [HBO commentators] Emanuel Steward and Larry Merchant, they’re saying Floyd Mayweather, ‘He’s not that good. He’s a very, very boring fighter.’

“I go fight Jamel Herring next and go beat him and then go beat Oscar Valdez. They’ll be saying I’m the best young fighter and put me on the pound-for-pound list.”

The announcement of Herring vs. Stevenson shouldn’t come as a surprise. The WBO had ordered a purse bid earlier this month. Since Herring and Stevenson have agreed to the fight, Top Rank Boxing avoids the purse bid.