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Floyd Schofield has pulled out of his combat in opposition to WBC light-weight champion Shakur Stevenson on Saturday night time in Riyadh. Schofield (18-0, 12 KOs) is ailing, and Stevenson’s workforce is shortly on the lookout for a substitute.
I used to be afraid of this. When Shakur selected Schofield primarily based on his trash-talking potential on social media, he neglected the expertise issue. Floyd had by no means been on the large stage, and it was silly to place an unproven fighter below the highlight in a high-pressure state of affairs when he’d by no means fought at this degree.
Final-Minute Scramble
Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs) will keep on the cardboard, however the two substitute opponents are thought of beneath passable. In keeping with The Ring, these are the 2:
– Moussa Gholam (22-1, 13 KOs)– Josh Padley (15-0, 4 KOs)
Of these two, Padley has the higher resume. He lately defeated Mark Chamberlain by a 10-round unanimous choice on September twenty first at Wembley Stadium in London.
If Shakur and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, choose one in every of these two fighters because the substitute, Turki Alalshikh wants to position the combat on the prelim portion of the occasion away from the principle card. Placing it on YouTube can be a pleasant gesture as a result of boxing followers received’t be offended at seeing Shakur combat a second-tier fighter who has no enterprise being within the ring with him.
Shakur hasn’t fought nice opposition all through his skilled profession, significantly since transferring to the light-weight division in 2023. That’s why it’s arduous to take him critically when he says he deserves a combat in opposition to Gervonta Davis and is likely one of the greatest fighters within the sport. Shakur’s weak resume doesn’t bear that out.
That is what you get whenever you an opponent for the improper causes. Shakur admitted that he’d chosen Floyd Schofield solely due to his potential to speak trash. It was purely superficial causes. He had by no means overwhelmed anybody within the high tier to charge the title shot.
This was Stevenson’s alternative. He may have chosen quite a few choices, like Andy Cruz, Ernesto Mercado, Raymond Muratalla, and Edwin De Los Santos. He wished Schofield, and that is what occurs. That’s why it’s arduous to love Shakur. He brags about himself 24/7 however then by no means fights anyone good. He’s what’s improper with the game. If you happen to’re Turki Alalashikh, it will be a good suggestion to go away Shakur off his future playing cards and deal with the risk-takers.
“I’m ready to capture the moment. I’m focused. I put in a great training, and it’s my time,” mentioned Shakur Stevenson to Prime Rank Boxing at as we speak’s Grand Arrivals in Riyadh for his combat on Saturday night time.
“I’m ready to show the world I’m a superstar. I think I’m one of the best fighters in the sport of boxing. The world will know on February 22nd,” mentioned Stevenson, bragging about himself.
