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By: Hans Themistode
As tears fell from the eyes of Shakur Stevenson following his 2016 Olympic gold medal loss against Robeisy Ramirez, the New Jersey native vowed to never allow history to repeat itself.
So far, Stevenson has kept his word, winning all 17 of his bouts in the professional ranks. With each passing victory, Stevenson’s confidence has only grown. At just 24-years-old, Stevenson patiently slices through his opponent’s defense, before punishing them round after round.
Now, as he continues his relentless preparation for his upcoming 130-pound unification showdown against Oscar Valdez on April 30th, Stevenson is sick and tired of being told to wait his turn. Even now, with only a handful of fights and admittedly in the infancy stages of his career, Stevenson believes that only his name should be announced when discussing the best fighters in the world.
“I love Bud [Terence Crawford],” said Stevenson on an episode of Blood, Sweat, and Tears. “I think Canelo is great too. But for me personally, I feel like I’m the best fighter in the world.”
Although pound-for-pound lists are often subjective, both Crawford and Canelo Alvarez have become stalwarts near the top of those lists.
Alvarez, of course, has earned his striped over years by dominating the competition. As a result, the Mexican star has captured world titles in four separate weight classes and continues to saunter up and down countless division’s in search of a suitable challenge. In the case of Crawford, the Omaha, Nebraska, native has put together a pristine record consisting of 38 victories, against zero defeats.
Stevenson, on the other hand, is still building his own pugilistic stature. On April 30th, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, Stevenson believes that a victory over Valdez will lead to more worldwide recognition, something Stevenson is convinced he desperately needs.
A win, in his opinion, is a mere formality. But, even with Stevenson salivating over the possibility of adding his third world title, he believes that the victories will continue to rack up over the course of his career.
So, with the former Olympic silver medalist convinced that his win column will continue to increase, he’s placing his attention on growing his overall profile.
“I think the main thing is turning myself into a superstar. That’s like the main thing to me. I want the world to know that I was one of the best boxers to ever do it so I gotta keep training and keep getting better.”
