Shakur Stevenson showed his impressive skills and successfully defended his WBC lightweight title by defeating Artem Harutyunyan by unanimous decision on Saturday. The judges scored the bout 119-109, 118-110, and 116-112, all in favor of Stevenson, who delivered a boxing clinic to retain his championship. This was his first title defense.
Both fighters had high financial stakes. Stevenson secured a guaranteed purse of at least $1.5 million for the fight, reflecting his status as the defending champion. Harutyunyan, while earning a lower guaranteed amount of $400,000, still walked away with a substantial payday. Additionally, both fighters will receive a share of the pay-per-view revenue.
What’s Next For Shakur Stevenson?
Stevenson expressed his frustration at not being able to stop Artem Harutyunyan in their match on Saturday night. Despite this, his win reinforces his status as a dominant force in the lightweight division. However, several other contenders could pose a threat to him. Stevenson himself has called out Gervonta Davis and Vasiliy Lomachenko. Speaking to ESPN about potential bouts with Davis and Lomachenko, he said, “If they don’t fight me, they don’t fight me. I’m just going to stay in the gym and stay ready.”
Notably, the Three-division world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis remains undefeated and retains his WBA Lightweight World Title after knocking out Frank Martin. Meanwhile, Vasiliy Lomachenko also secured a victory in his recent bout against George Kambosos Jr. Both Davis and Lomachenko are potential future opponents for Stevenson. Until then, Stevenson will enjoy his latest win.
