Shakur Stevenson dominates, shuts out overmatched Jeremiah Nakathila
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You can’t beat what you can’t hit. Even when you don’t get hit much yourself.
That was Jeremiah Nakathila’s fate on Saturday at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, where the gifted Shakur Stevenson outclassed the Namibian in every way to win a shutout decision in a 12-round junior lightweight bout.
Stevenson (16-0, 8 KOs) probably didn’t make any fans – he wasn’t active enough offensively – but you will rarely see a more one-sided fight.
The 2016 Olympic silver medalist and former featherweight titleholder demonstrated remarkable defensive skills from beginning to end. Nakathila barely touched him the entire fight.
Shakur Stevenson (right) didn’t land many punches but got Jeremiah Nakathila’s attention when he did. AP Photo / John Locher
And while Stevenson didn’t throw or land many punches himself, he connected on more than enough shots to win every round.
His biggest punch came in Round 4, when the southpaw landed a right check hook that stunned Nakathila (21-1, 17 KOs) and put him down onto one knee. That was the only knockdown in the fight.
No one was surprised when the decision was announced. The judges all had the same score, 120-107 for Stevenson, who won the WBO’s “interim” title.
Boxing Junkie also had it a 120-107 shutout for the winner.
Stevenson probably could’ve stopped Nakathila if he took more risks. However, aware of the African’s punching power, he obviously was willing to accept a wide decision.
However, he wasn’t satisfied afterward.
“To be honest, I didn’t really like my performance,” Stevenson said. “I felt I could’ve performed a lot better, but it was an awkward fighter. You had an awkward fighter throwing hard punches, and he knows how to grab and get away. He was a real awkward fighter. That’s all.
“I tried to [stop him] a little bit, but I started getting hit with some solid shots. I ain’t really like it, but next time I’m going to work on moving my head a little bit more and step it up a little more.”
Stevenson has expressed a desire to challenge WBC titleholder Oscar Valdez but he’s the mandatory challenger for the belt of WBO champ Jamel Herring, meaning Herring is more likely to be his next opponent.
“If I had the choice, I’d take Oscar Valdez, but if I had to beat up Jamel to get to it, I’ll do that, too.” Stevenson said. “Jamel can’t beat me. He knows what it is.”
