Shakur Stevenson returns to the ring April 8 vs Shuichiro Yoshino in a WBC lightweight title eliminator bout in New Jersey. The 12-round fight at the Prudential Center airs on ESPN+ in the U.S. with prelims beginning at 8 p.m. ET and the main event starting at 11 p.m.
Stevenson, 25, is a rising star in a deep lightweight division. As such, he’s a heavy -1800 favorite over Yoshino.
Shakur Stevenson vs Shuichiro Yoshino Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Shakur Stevenson | -1800 |
| Shuichiro Yoshino | +900 |
Odds as of April 3
Our odds calculator tells us Stevenson’s -1800 odds award him a 94.74 percent chance of winning, with a $10 bet paying out $10.56 (just a $0.56 profit). Yoshino’s +900 odds give him a 10 percent chance to win, and a $10 bet pays out $100.
What Stevenson Does Well
| Opponent | Date | Stevenson Odds | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robson Conceicao | September 9, 2022 | -2000 | Win By Unanimous Decision |
| Oscar Valdez | April 30, 2022 | -800 | Win By Unanimous Decision |
| Jamel Herring | October 23, 2021 | -900 | Win By First-Round KO |
| Jeremiah Nakathila | June 12, 2021 | -6000 | Win By Unanimous Decision |
Shakur is a true boxing superstar, first for his physical talents. He’s got lightning hands and a knack for keeping his opponents at range despite his modest 68-inch reach. The world of boxing has witnessed Stevenson’s evolution as his fight IQ develops and he blossoms into a shining star.
The 25-year-old also loves feinting his shots to lure opponents into his laser-like left hand. And if they don’t bite, he’ll just whale on his opponent’s body with hooks instead. In his last fight vs Robson Conceicao, Stevenson’s lone knockdown came via a hard left straight to the gut.
The New Jersey native should have his way again Saturday.
What Yoshino Does Well
The odds are correct — this is a mismatch. Yoshino is the WBO Pacific lightweight champ, but he’s not a strong match for Stevenson.
The undefeated Shuichiro Yoshino (11 KOs) defends his WBO Asia Pacific & OPBF Lightweight titles against former world champion Masayuki Ito (15 KOs) this Saturday in Japan.pic.twitter.com/CjjnBkoiTl
— Cerebral Vigilante (@Delisketo) April 7, 2022
The Japanese star pulverized his latest opponent, Masayoshi Nakatani, clubbing him with relentless hooks to the head and flexing his power. The knockdowns were notable, though we also learned Yoshino was clever enough to weave in combos to keep opponents guessing. The 31-year-old is tough, but he opens himself up a ton when he loads up on bombs. With Stevenson being the faster fighter, it’ll be hard for Yoshino to find his rhythm and rip away with punches.
Stevenson should have Yoshino frustrated all evening, and when you fight frustrated, you make uncharacteristic mistakes.
Stevenson vs Yoshino Pick
As I said before, Yoshino is a tough bastard. He ate some big shots from Nakatani in his last fight and kept on chugging. He’ll certainly respect Stevenson more in this fight, but not enough to save him from defeat.
Bet on Stevenson by decision. That’s how he fights best, and that’s how he should win Saturday.
Pick: Stevenson by decision (TBD)
When is Shakur Stevenson's next fight?
Shakur Stevenson returns to the ring April 8 vs Shuichiro Yoshino in a WBC lightweight title eliminator bout. The 12-round bout airs on ESPN+ in the U.S. with prelims beginning at 8 p.m. ET and the main event starting at 11 p.m. ET.
