Shakur Stevenson Shines in Hometown Debut, Kos Guevara in 3
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Shakur Stevenson Shines In Hometown Debut, KOs Guevara In 3 NEWARK, NJ –In his first fight as a headliner, Newark’s “Fearless” Shakur Stevenson (12-0, 7KO) brought his hometown fans to their feet, scoring a round 3rd round KO against former two-time world title challenger Alberto Guevara (27-5, 12KO) in front of 5,150 fans at the Prudential Center in the main event of a Top Rank fight card broadcast on ESPN+ and ESPN. It was evident from the early goings that Stevenson’s size and power would overwhelm the smaller Guevara, who’s best days were fought at bantamweight. Because of this, Guevara was reluctant to let his fists fly, knowing that any Stevenson countershot could end his night. After a relatively quiet first round, the southpaw Stevenson upped the tempo in the second, cracking and landing with both hands. About midway through the round, Stevenson scored a somewhat strange knockdown when Guevara lost his balance and bent forward to try and clinch Stevenson. In a bit of an “ole”/matador maneuver, Stevenson avoided the clinch and planted a left to the body, allowing Guevara’s forward momentum to carry him forward to the canvas. Referee David Fields ruled a knockdown and Guevara beat the count. As the second round drew to a close, Stevenson again dropped Guevara — this time with authority — courtesy of a straight left that landed flush on the right side of Guevara’s face, dropping him to his knees. Guevara again beat Field’s ten count just as the bell sounded to end the round. In the third, Stevenson, who is trained by his grandfather Wali Moses, thought he scored another knockdown after a landing a body shot, followed by a left to the head, but Fields correctly ruled that the body shot was low and allotted Guevara time to recover. The end came shortly after though, as Stevenson unleashed a vicious flurry of pinballing headshots that sent an unsteady Guevara to the mat for the third and final time where he was counted out by Fields at the 2:37 mark of round 3. It was an impressive win for the former 2016 Beijing Olympic Medalist, who was escorted to the ring by WBO World Welterweight Champion Terence Crawford (35-0, 26KO). Initially, Stevenson, who retained his NABO Featherweight Title tonight, was slated to face Hairon Socarras (22-0-3, 13KO), who pulled out about a month before the fight. In stepped Venezeulan Franklin Manzanilla (18-5, 17KO) who accepted the challenge, only to also pull out earlier this month. Credit Guevara, Stevenson’s third scheduled opponent for taking the fight on short notice and seeing it through. To date, Guevara has only lost to top-notch competition, including Stevenson. In his most recent fight before tonight, Guevara dropped a unanimous decision to former WBO/WBA World Bantamweight Champion Hugo Ruiz (39-5, 33KO) in January. His resume also sports losses in two world title fights, to Leo Santa Cruz (36-1-1, 19KO) in 2012 and Shinsuke Yamanake in 2013. His other loss came courtesy of Emmanuel Rodriguez (19-1, 12KO), who then went on to capture world bantamweight titles of his own. What’s next for Stevenson? We know he wants to move quickly. Much against the wishes of Top Rank brass, Stevenson and his camp pushed for and secured a fight against former title challenger Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz (24-2, 16KO) in April. Stevenson shined in that fight, outclassing his veteran counterpart en route to a wide unanimous decision victory. He reiterated his desire to get bigger fights after tonight’s match, asking his promotor to find him bigger fights. “Top Rank, you all have to give me better competition I want the IBF and WBO {titles},” he said. “I would love to go to England to fight Josh Warrington.” On his performance tonight, Stevenson said, “That was a great performance I put on for the city of Newark…I surprised myself today. I was going to the body a lot. I saw him at the weigh- in. He didn’t look like he was in shape.” More than anything, tonight’s fight served as a showcase fight for Stevenson. It granted the kid from Newark, who for a time lived on Ali Boulevard, an opportunity to put on a show in his home city in front of family and friends. For Top Rank, it also tested Stevenson’s drawing power as a headliner in a Newark market that Main Events and Tomasz Adamek once thrived in. If it was up to Stevenson, Newark’s boxing fans will get an opportunity to see him in-person a lot more over the next few years. “I see me bringing big fights to Newark I see me bringing boxing back to Newark. Brick City, I appreciate you all. Without you, I wouldn’t be who I am.” Joshua Greer Edges Majority Decision Over Nikolai Potapov In the night’s co-feature, broadcast live on ESPN, Chicago bantamweight Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer, Jr. (21-1-1, 12KO) earned a twelve round majority decision over Brooklyn-based Russian Nikolai Potapov (20-2-1, 11KO) in an IBF title eliminator. Official scorecards read 115-113 and 116-112, Greer, and 114-114. It was a technical fight, fought in the pocket and within each fighter’s firing range. It was never a reckless affair, however, and it wasn’t going to be, no matter how many boos the blood-thirsty Jersey crowd rained down. Both fighters had moments where their punches landed and where they avoided return fire. Quite simply, Greer had a few more of them, and was able to eke out a narrow decision. The decision victory stretched Greer’s win streak to seventeen in a row, but snapped a seven fight stoppage streak, a run that started almost two years ago to the day, when he retired Leroy Davila (5-2, 3KO). Greer’s only career defeat remains a 2015 majority decision a loss to Stephon Fulton (16-0, 7KO) in his fifth pro fight. For the 28 year-old Potapov, tonight marks his first defeat on US soil in four fights. He’d previously compiled a record of 2-0-1. His only other defeat came in 2017 when he was retired by former Argentine world champion Omar Andres Narvaez (49-3-2, 23KO) in Buenos Aires. He’s very awkward with the Russian style,” Greer said post- fight. “But at the end of the day, this is the pros…I pulled it out.” “The booing didn’t bother me. I know I won the fight,” he added. “Every time I hit him to the body, I hurt him. I didn’t get the knockout, but I got the win.” Josue Vargas Stops Manny Lopez In 7 In the final fight streamed on ESPN+, Bronx-based Puerto Rican Josue “The Prodigy” Vargas (14-1, 9KO) scored a 7th round TKO against fellow welterweight Manuel “Manny Lo” Lopez (14-4-1, 7KO) in a bout originally slated for eight. The 20 year-old southpaw, Vargas, controlled the action and dictated the pace of the fight from the opening bell. Vargas invited Lopez’s pressure and peppered him each and every time he got into range. Not for lack of trying, but the 28 year-old Coloradan, Lopez, was unable to get any offense going. He consistently found himself on the receiving end of Vargas jabs and straight lefts. In the seventh round, smelling blood in the water, Vargas turned up the heat and let his hands fly. Hurt and winded, Lopez retreated, but was unable to shake Vargas, who kept the fists coming. Eventually, Vargas pinned Lopez against the ropes and began unloading, at one point landing three consecutive head snapping right uppercuts. Referee Sparkle Lee jumped in to stop the contest at the 2:50 mark of the 7th round. It was Vargas’ second fight under the Top Rank promotional banner and fifth consecutive win via stoppage. Vargas previously fought under contract with Mayweather Promotions. For Lopez, tonight marked his first fight east of the Mississippi and the first time in his career he was stopped inside the distance. 17 Year-Old Vito Mielnicki Jr. Rocks “The Rock”, Scores Emphatic KO1 In Debut In his professional debut, 17 year-old New Jersey native Vito “White Magic” Mielnicki, Jr. (1-0, 1KO) blew the lid off the Prudential Center, scoring a murderous first round KO against Mississippi’s Tamarcus Smith (2-3, 2KO) in front of hundreds of frenzied hometown fans. The end came emphatically and without notice when Mielnicki caught a retreating Smith with a left hook to the chin- straight right combo that turned out Smith’s lights, collapsing him face down on the mat where referee Shada Murdaugh stopped the bout immediately at the 1:16 mark of the first round. Mielnicki, a rising senior at nearby West Essex High School, needed a special exemption from the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board allowing him to make his debut tonight, ten months before his 18th birthday. During his amateur career, Mielnicki, who is the son of GH3 CEO, promoter Vito Mielnicki, amassed an impressive record of 147-22. He decided to forego his amateur status and his dreams of becoming an Olympian, however, when it became clear that age restrictions would prevent him from participating in an Olympics before 2024. Julian Rodriguez Hammers Herrera, Scores KO1 In his first bout in twenty-two months, welterweight Julian “Hammer Hands” Rodriguez (17-0, 11KO) returned to action and scored a statement-making first round KO against veteran Colombian slugger Hevinson Herrera (24-18-1, 17KO) in a bout originally slated for six rounds.