By: Sean Crose
“I gave it my all,” Shakur Stevenson posted on Twitter Thursday afternoon. He had come in 1.6 pounds overweight on the scales a few minutes earlier at the weigh in for his scheduled Friday night battle with Robson Conceicao, who himself made weight easily. “I’ve been professional my whole career and made weight,” Stevenson continued “but my body just can’t make 130 anymore. My health has to come first. I’m moving up to 135 in my next fight.” After initially weighing heavy at Newark’s Prudential Center, Stevenson didn’t bother to get back on the scale, as is often the case in such scenarios. He was given two hours to cut the necessary weight. We’re Stevenson to refuse to do so, he would lose his WBO and WBC junior lightweight titles.
Needless to say the look may not be great for the undefeated, 18-0 Stevenson. Friday night’s battle is set to go down in the town he’s from, Newark. Although the undefeated titlist (or titlist as of press time) now fights out of Houston, homecoming bouts are a considerable deal in the sport of boxing. Stevenson may now fight Saturday without his belts to defend. If that is the case, however, Conceicao still has an opportunity to make the belts his own on Friday, provided he bests Stevenson – which is something the 17-1 Brazilian fighter is not supposed to do.
Boxing Insider will update this story as it develops.
