Shakur Stevenson: Caraballo ‘Nowhere Near On My Level”
Shakur Stevenson (13-0, 7 KO) is full of confidence heading into tonight’s clash against Puerto Rico’s Felix Caraballo (13-1-2, 9 KO). The two men will headline Top Rank’s first card back following the coronavirus outbreak. The pair will face-off in a ten-round super featherweight clash, with boxing fans around the world set to be tuning in.
Despite viewing little footage of Caraballo, Stevenson feels he knows exactly what his opponent will bring to the table once the opening bell sounds.
“I watched like one round. I see everything I needed to see in that one round, and I see a lot of holding in his game, so I’m going to expose it,” Stevenson said during the pairs joint media conference.
“I noticed that he’s nowhere near on my level. I expect him to come out loud and try to land a big shot. “
The odds-makers have Stevenson as the heavy favorite for tonight’s bout, with the 22-year-old regarded as one of the future stars of the sport. Caraballo has never fought outside of Puerto Rico, nor has he fought the same caliber of opponents Stevenson has. He will likely need to land something special early on to have any real chance, but with Stevenson feeling fighting fit, it makes it hard picturing Caraballo connecting the way he needs to.
“I don’t think time off is going to do anything because I’m a gym rat, and I’m always in the gym. So, me being a gym rat and in the gym, I probably got to get off a little rust in the first to two rounds, but other than that, I’m ready to go,” Stevenson said, talking about his physical conditioning.
” I’m in the gym every day, ain’t no way I’m having rust just from being off for eight months and not been sparring. I did a full training camp on March 14 and then got right back in the gym, took like a month off, and then got in the gym. So, I’m a gym rat. I don’t think it’s going to affect me.”
Following this fight, it will be interesting to see whether or not Stevenson stays at 130 or returns to the 126 division, as it appears he is open to both options.
” I think that the champions at 130 are all decent fighters. I’ve already pictured myself in the ring with all of them already, so I’ve already been thinking about that,” Stevenson said.
However, the WBO Featherweight Champion did not rule out dropping back down to 126 for title unification bouts with either IBF champion Josh Warrington or WBC champion Gary Russell Jr.
” That’d be a hell of a fight with me and Gary. I think we really are the best two featherweights, skill-wise, in the division, so I think that’d be a hell of a fight. “
Before any future matchmaking can begin, Stevenson will first need to get the job done against Caraballo, who will be coming into this bout with nothing to lose. And as we have seen so far throughout 2020, nothing can be taken for granted.
Who are you picking to win this one?
