Boxing Champ Stevenson Retains Title with Clinical yet Underwhelming Performance
Newark, New Jersey – On Saturday, March 25th, at the Prudential Center, reigning WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson defended his title in a unanimous decision victory over Artem Harutyunyan.
Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs), the hometown fighter, showcased his technical proficiency but struggled to create a compelling narrative, winning the fight 119-109, 118-110, and 116-112 on the judges’ scorecards.
Harutyunyan (12-2, 7 KOs) adopted a herky-jerky, evasive style that initially gave Stevenson trouble, as the champion needed a couple of rounds to find his range. However, once Stevenson settled in, his defensive acumen and precision punching became the difference-maker.
Over the course of the fight, Stevenson methodically broke down his opponent, landing clean shots to the head and delivering damaging body blows, particularly in the sixth round. Harutyunyan’s constant movement and flurrying kept him in the fight, but Stevenson’s superior control of the center of the ring and ability to adjust proved too much.
Despite the win, Stevenson expressed frustration at his inability to secure more definitive victories, stating, “It’s kind of hard to prove [you’re that guy] when you don’t have a fighter who’s trying to fight back.” The champion acknowledged the need to “cut off the ring a little bit more” to force openings against elusive opponents.
With top contenders Vasiliy Lomachenko and Gervonta Davis seemingly avoiding him, Stevenson remains intent on finding the defining fight he craves, declaring, “If they don’t want to fight me, I’ll stay in the gym and keep busy.“
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