Shakur Stevenson says he’s “concerned” that challenger Floyd Schofield may pull out of their February 22 fight after he didn’t show up at their press conference to discuss their Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2.
Schofield’s absence
Schofield (18-0, 12 KOs) wasn’t there today, but his promoter, Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions, was there, and spoke highly of him.
WBC lightweight champion Stevenson will defend against hand-picked opponent Schofield when he arrives next month. It could be one of the most interesting fights on the card because it will allow fans to see that Stevenson has turned over a new leaf. He said he will stay in the pocket for this fight and “steal the show” from the other fighters on the card.
“You definitely made a mistake. He is a good, young, hungry fighter. I still hope that he will take this fight,” said Shakur Stevenson at a press conference today, responding to Floyd Schofield’s program no. “I am worried that he is not there. I said I was happy to see him.
“Don’t get butterflies and get out of the fight. I know it’s a difficult time. I know you are going through a lot, but just show up. It was like going in, putting on my annoying bag and letting my hands go, hitting the boys. That’s what I will do on February 22nd.
“She has a small, hungry child. He’s not some old, washed-up guy who wants to win, but doesn’t have the body or the years to do it. So, this is a hungry lion. He speaks. His father is talking. They sound more confident online. I wish they were here in person, I saw that they really believed in themselves,” Shakur said of Floyd Jr. and his father.
It doesn’t matter that Schofield didn’t show up during the press conference because he will be there on February 22, and he will be putting a lot of pressure on the champion. This is a fight that could go badly for Shakur if his surgically repaired right hand doesn’t hold up under the heat of the fight. Trying to fight one-handed with Floyd Jr. it will be a nightmare.
“Maybe, yes, because when you do all that talking, you have to live up to the hype,” Shakur said. “So, yes, I think the power will be different, but we will see. Zepeda was my first choice. I would have liked to fight Zepeda. Now, we’re here with Schofield. That’s the next best option available.”
Stevenson should be happy that the fight with William Zepeda is not possible because that could have ended badly for him. There’s no way he could match Zepeda’s 100+ high punches in the round box, and he wouldn’t be able to withstand the power of his shots. He would be forced to run, and that would be a bad look.
“Stealing the Show”
“What should I do to beat him? Just be me. Get in there and do it. My goal is to steal the show. That’s what I came here for. I think Cordina is a hell of a fighter. I have nothing too bad to say. I always thought he and I were a good fighter. I’m in the fights the fans want to see,” Shakur said.
There’s no way Shakur is going to “steal the show” on February 22nd unless all the other fights blow out, and he revives his first safety fighting style. Shakur is too much of a chicken to stop using his hit and miss fighting style. So, that kind of takes out Stevenson to ‘steal the show.’
“The fans didn’t want to see me face Cordina. Everyone took part in the war and thought it was a terrible war. When they saw that I was fighting Schofield, they were very excited about this fight because he is a young lion, undefeated, and a natural 135 shooter.
“A lot of people think Cordina is a 130-pounder. I actually think he’s a 135-pounder, and I think he’ll feel better at the weight. “Just because it’s not happening now doesn’t mean it won’t happen,” Shakur said.
For the fight with Shakur and Cordina to happen in the future. would need to do more. Stevenson’s work will have to be different. That’s the only way that fight can happen because Cordina, 33, is not young, and she is not always busy with her career.
He last fought on May 8, 2024, being knocked out in the eighth round by Anthony Cacace. He has no fights scheduled and is not hoping to reach the top spot at 135 to face Stevenson.
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