As BoxingScene.com beforehand reported, undefeated former two-weight world champion Shakur Stevenson will tackle Japanese puncher Shuichiro Yoshino in a 12-round WBC light-weight title eliminator Saturday, April 8, at Prudential Heart in his hometown of Newark, New Jersey.
Stevenson (19-0, 9 KOs), a former featherweight and junior light-weight world champion, returns dwelling following final September’s triumph in opposition to Robson Conceicao. Stevenson dominated in entrance of 10,107 followers at Prudential Heart. It was the primary time Stevenson had fought at Prudential Heart since July 2019 and established the venue as one of many sport’s most raucous hometown crowds.
“I’m taking on the light-weight division and my run will begin on April 8 in Newark. Shuichiro Yoshino is an undefeated fighter who was keen to step up and combat me when so many fighters had been scared,” Stevenson mentioned.
“My final combat on the Prudential Heart was simply the beginning of what I’m constructing in Jersey. We’re going to pack the Prudential Heart once more and present the world who the way forward for boxing actually is.”
Yoshino (16-0, 12 KOs), the WBC’s No. 5 contender, is a former Japanese light-weight champion who compiled a 104-20 newbie file. After seven defenses of his Japanese title, Yoshino rose within the rankings following a banner 2022. Final April, he received a bloody technical choice over former world champion Masayuki Ito after Ito suffered a lower over his left eye. He adopted up the Ito triumph in November with a sixth-round stoppage over Masayoshi Nakatani, greatest identified to followers for his stands in opposition to Teofimo Lopez and Vasiliy Lomachenko. Yoshino has by no means fought away from Japan and hopes to spoil Stevenson’s homecoming.
“I’m very honored to be preventing within the U.S. for the primary time. I am extraordinarily targeted and motivated,” Yoshino mentioned. “I am wanting ahead to preventing the nice two-division champion, Shakur Stevenson, in his hometown of Newark. I will be coaching onerous main as much as the combat and stay up for exhibiting the followers an thrilling victory!”