There is a corner of boxing that says Shakur Stevenson is a pound-for-pound king in waiting.

Maybe he is. 

We won’t know one way or the other just yet on Thursday night (ESPN, 10:30 PM EST) but all Stevenson can do is stay active and collecting belts until the big fights come. If he keeps winning, the time will come when there is a Tank Davis, a Devin Haney, a Teofimo Lopez across the ring to give him a chance to further his case.

The time just hasn’t come yet. 

On Thursday, the vacant WBC lightweight title will be on the line. Stevenson is shooting for a title in his third weight class but what he’s really fighting for is increased public demand for a showdown event.

Can Edwin De Los Santos shock the world and flip all hopes and dreams on their ear? 

Let’s get into it. 

Stats and Stakes

Shakur Stevenson

Age: 26

Titles: None 

Previous Titles: WBO Featherweight (2019-20); WBO Jr. Lightweight (2021-22, 1 Defense); Lineal/TBRB/Ring World Jr. Lightweight (2022); WBC Super Featherweight (2022)

Height: 5’7 

Weight: 133 ¾ lbs.

Stance: Southpaw

Hails from: Newark, New Jersey

Record: 20-0, 10 KO

Press Rankings: #3 (TBRB, BoxRec), #4 (ESPN), #5 (Ring)

Record in Major Title Fights: 3-0, 1 KO (4-0, 1 KO including interim title fights)

Last Five Opponents: 107-4 (.964)

Notable Outcomes, TBRB and/or Ring Rated Foes: Joet Gonzalez UD12; Jamel Herring TKO10; Oscar Valdez UD12; Robson Conceicao UD12; Shuichiro Yoshino TKO6

Additional Current/Former Titlists Faced: None

Vs.

Edwin De Los Santos  

Age: 24

Title/Previous Titles: None

Height: 5’8   

Weight: 134 ¼ lbs.

Stance: Southpaw

Hails from: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Record: 16-1, 14 KO

Press Rankings: Unranked

Record in Major Title Fights: N/A

Last Five Opponents: 65-9-3 (.864)

Notable Outcomes, TBRB and/or Ring Rated Foes: None

Additional Current/Former Titlists Faced: None

The Pick: Someday Shakur Stevenson is going to get his wish for elite competition and we’ll find out where he belongs in that shuffle. Until then, settle in. It might be worth betting on how many rounds he loses in a fight more than whether he will lose straight up. That doesn’t mean De Los Santos has no chance on Thursday night. De Los Santos has longer arms, real pop, and aggression. Anything can happen.

It probably won’t. Stevenson’s patience, defensive acumen, and accuracy are going to be a significant issue in this battle of southpaws. Stevenson has been in with fighters on De Los Santos’s level. De Los Santos is making a giant step up in competition. There is a chance for a stoppage here as the fight progresses with Stevenson picking De Los Santos apart and increasingly frustrating him by stifling his offense. Stoppage or decision…either way, Stevenson wins.  

Additional Thursday Pick

Emanuel Navarrete Dec. Robson Conceicao

Rold Picks 2023: 34-11

Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, a member of the International Boxing Research Organization, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com