Shakur Stevenson Floors Guevara Three Times, Stops Him in Third

By Keith Idec

NEWARK, N.J. – Shakur Stevenson delivered what his hometown fans came to see Saturday night.

The undefeated featherweight contender scored three knockdowns against Alberto Guevara and beat the late replacement by third-round knockout in the main event of an ESPN telecast from Prudential Center. Newark’s Stevenson (12-0, 7 KOs) knocked down Guevara twice in the second round and once in the third round before referee David Fields stopped their scheduled 10-round, 126-pound bout.

The 22-year-old Stevenson fought for the first time in his hometown since he turned pro in April 2017. By winning, the 2016 Olympic silver medalist moved closer to a shot at WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez (26-0, 20 KOs), for whom Stevenson is the mandatory challenger.

“That was a great performance that I put on for the city of Newark,” Stevenson said. “Top Rank, y’all gotta get me better competition. I want the champions – Leo Santa Cruz and Oscar Valdez. That guy came in there and he didn’t want no smoke.”

Stevenson’s original opponent, Miami’s Hairon Socarras (22-0-3, 14 KOs), withdrew from their fight for undisclosed reasons a few days after the initial press conference June 10. Colombia’s Franklin Manzanilla (18-5, 17 KOs) replaced Socarras, but he also pulled out due to an illness.

The 28-year-old Guevara (27-5, 12 KOs), of El Cajon, California, didn’t hesitate to take this difficult fight on two weeks’ notice. The younger, stronger Stevenson was just entirely too much for him.

Stevenson became only the second opponent to knock out Guevara in nearly 10 years as a pro. Japan’s Shinsuke Yamanaka (27-2-2, 19 KOs) knocked out Guevara in the ninth round of their November 2013 fight for Yamanaka’s WBC bantamweight title.

His other losses were decision defeats to WBA featherweight champ Leo Santa Cruz (36-1-1, 19 KOs), former IBF bantamweight champ Emmanuel Rodriguez (19-1, 12 KOs) and Hugo Ruiz (39-5, 33 KOs).

Guevera seemed reluctant to engage from the opening bell and spent much of their brief bout moving away from his southpaw opponent.

Stevenson hit Guevara with a low blow in the third round, which caused Guevara to lower his hands. Stevenson hit Guevara with a left-right combination that dropped him, but that didn’t count as a knockdown.

Fields gave Guevara time to recover, but Stevenson finished him several seconds later.

A right-left combination to Guevara’s head floored Guevara for the third time. Guevara got to his feet again, but Fields stopped the fight at 2:37 of the third round.

Guevara remained on his back foot for much of the second round. Stevenson caught him with a right to the body about 1:10 into the second round and Guevara retreated.

A right to the body and a left to the body by Stevenson sent Guevara to the canvas with just over 40 seconds to go in the second round. Guevara got up, but Stevenson stalked him and knocked him down again with a straight left just before the second round ended.

The bell sounded to end the second round just as Guevara reached his feet the second time.

Stevenson landed a left hand to Guevara’s body with just over a minute to go in the first round, but Fields warned him because it was low. Stevenson drilled Guevara with a stiff jab that backed Guevara into his own corner later in the first.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for krikya360.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.