Shakur Stevenson is set to fight Robson Conceição on Friday night, but he won't be doing it as a world champion.
Stevenson (18-0, 9 KOs) was stripped of the WBC and WBO super featherweight titles after failing to make the 130-pound weight limit Thursday. He weighed in at 131.6 pounds, while Conceição (17-1, 8 KOs) tipped the scales at 129.6 pounds.
Despite the prospect of losing his titles and also potentially having the fight called off, Stevenson declined to make another attempt at getting under the weight limit.
The 25-year-old explained his decision on Twitter, citing his health and a planned move to the lightweight division:
The two sides were able to come to a purse agreement to keep the fight alive, per ESPN's Mike Coppinger. For Stevenson, Friday's contest is simply a chance to showcase his skills against a tough veteran opponent. He cannot regain the titles with a win.
Conceição, 33, is still eligible to claim the belts if he scores an upset.
Stevenson vs. Conceição Fight Info
When: Friday, Sept. 23 at 10 p.m. ET (main card)
Where: Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey
TV: ESPN (US), Sky Sports (UK)
Live stream: ESPN+
Odds: Stevenson -1700 (bet $1,700 to win $100), Conceição + 900 (bet $100 to win $900)
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Preview, Predictions
As expected, Stevenson is a heavy favorite to win on Friday. The inability to make weight would be cause for alarm in many cases, but he has been teasing a move to 135 pounds for months now. This failure on the scales might not signal a lack of preparation like it does in so many other cases.
Even so, the New Jersey native can't afford to be overconfident. He still has an undefeated record to protect, and he'll want to impress against Conceição so that he can send a message to the star-studded lightweight division, which includes Devin Haney, Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia, Vasiliy Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr., among others.
If Stevenson's last fight is any indication, he should be able to handle whatever Conceição throws at him.
In April, the southpaw dominated Oscar Valdez over 12 rounds to retain his unified titles. His defense was excellent against the aggressive Mexican, as he snuffed out attacks with ease and lined up his countershots.
He also did well on offense, scoring a knockdown in the sixth round and using his length and speed to pick apart Valdez. For the methodical, risk-averse Stevenson, it was one of his more entertaining outings.
Conceição fought Valdez in September 2019, losing a controversial decision. While some felt the Brazilian deserved a win, it wasn't a dominant, wire-to-wire display like the one Stevenson put together. He started off the match brightly, but the later rounds were muddied.
It seems Stevenson has done his homework, as he's expecting a similar pattern on Friday.
“I think his weakness is he has more of an amateur style, where he’s a front-runner," he told Anson Wainwright of The Ring. "I think he starts off fast, but as the fight goes on, he slows down and then I’ll take over. I don’t think he can do anything to stop me. I think it’s a great fight, but I’m on a whole different level."
Conceição, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist, believes Stevenson isn't fully aware of his capabilities and is looking past him.
“Shakur is definitely underestimating me,” he said through a translator, per Keith Idec of Boxing Scene. “That’s gonna be the biggest mistake of his career, underestimating a man like me, who’s really willing and hungry to win. He never really faced anyone like me, an athlete of this caliber, and that’s gonna be his downfall.”
There is indeed a chance Stevenson isn't completely focused on this fight given the failure to make weight and his focus on transitioning to lightweight. But as long as he's at least close to his peak, he should be able to win this fight, even if he has to slow things down and make it boring.
Conceição is a tough, smart boxer, but he lacks the kind of power that might give other fighters an edge against the American.
With the backing of a hometown crowd and a spotless record to protect, look for Stevenson to safely navigate a tough first few rounds before taking control and winning the fight handily on the cards.
Prediction: Stevenson by unanimous decision
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It's a battle of undefeated champions as Shakur Stevenson (17-0, nine KOs) and Oscar Valdez (30-0, 23 KOs) are set to face off in a junior lightweight unification bout Saturday night at the Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Stevenson, the WBO world champion, is a rising star in boxing. The 24-year-old is coming off an impressive stoppage win over Jamel Herring in October. He's looking to up the ante and truly establish himself as a force with his first title defense and a win over perhaps his toughest opponent to date.
Valdez is the WBC world titleholder and a proven veteran champion. He previously held the WBO world featherweight title from 2016 to 2019, making six successful defenses. He hasn't been fighting at 130 pounds for long, but he's yet to lose and has a chance to score an upset on Saturday night.
Stevenson vs. Valdez Fight Info
When: Saturday, April 30, at 9 p.m. ET (main card start)
Where: Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
TV: ESPN (US), Sky Sports (UK)
Live stream: ESPN+
Odds: Stevenson -600 (bet $600 to win $100), Valdez +425 (bet $100 to win $425)
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Preview, Predictions
Stevenson has been tipped as a star for some time now thanks to his strong amateur career (2016 Olympic silver medalist at bantamweight) and succession of lopsided wins as a pro. But it's his last fight that really got people talking, as he dominated Herring en route to a 10th-round technical knockout win in Atlanta.
What was supposed to be a major test turned out to be another day at the office for Stevenson, who had previously earned lopsided victories over Jeremia Nakathila, Toka Kahn Clary and Felix Caraballo at 130 pounds. The southpaw's fast hands and powerful, accurate combinations had Herring's face badly swollen by the middle rounds. Even though Herring—who was coming off an impressive win over Carl Frampton—never hit the canvas, the stoppage did him a favor. The judges had scored the bout 90-81, 90-81, 89-82 in favor of Stevenson up to that point, per BoxRec.
The Herring bout was an impressive showcase, but Stevenson's next challenge could really set him apart.
"I feel like [my star] is skyrocketing," he said, per the Washington Post's Glynn A. Hill. "I feel like after this fight I should be making big paydays; I should be getting The Ring magazine belt, letting it be known that I'm the best fighter at 130 pounds. So, I definitely could see myself skyrocketing, but we gotta handle business first; the job's not done yet."
Even though he's a heavy favorite, Stevenson really can't underestimate Valdez. The 31-year-old Mexican has overcome every obstacle in his career and isn't far removed from his own career-best win, a stunning knockout against Miguel Berchelt in Feb. 2021. Valdez was a heavy underdog coming into that one, but proved the doubters wrong with one of the best punches of the year.
A few months after that win, Valdez tested positive for a banned central-nervous stimulant, per ESPN.com's Mike Coppinger. He was allowed to keep his title and successfully defended it with a decision win over Robson Conceicao in September. Even though Valdez wasn't quite as sharp in that contest as he was against Berchelt, he still figures to pose a threat to Stevenson.
Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, who shares a trainer with Valdez in Eddy Reynoso, believes Valdez shouldn't be counted out.
"I'm surprised about that because Oscar can do many things in the ring," Alvarez said, per BoxingScene.com's Keith Idec. Alvarez is also aware of the danger posed by the multi-faceted Stevenson, as Idec reports he's told his stablemate "you need to keep focus and win the fight, not to put on a show for the people. Because [Stevenson is] a really good, skilled fighter, moves around. So, if you go forward, he's gonna do his fight."
Fans can expect to see plenty of action at the MGM Grand. Stevenson can throw punches in bunches, but he's also a defensive wizard. Valdez will be looking to disrupt his rhythm early on and can do so with his aggression and physicality. Whichever fighter gets the first good read on the other is likely to win the fight. The other will still likely make it tough on them.
Ring Magazine's Anson Wainwright asked 20 experts and insiders to make their picks: 19 are backing Stevenson, while just one picked Valdez.
We could be in store for another surprise on Saturday night as Valdez has proved once his power translates to 130 pounds, but look for Stevenson to be the sharper fighter over 12 rounds and continue his path to superstardom.
Prediction: Stevenson by unanimous decision
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Gervonta "Tank" Davis (24-0, 23 KOs) earned the biggest win of his young career in spectacular fashion on Saturday night, knocking out Leo Santa Cruz (37-2-1, 19 KOs) with a left uppercut in the sixth round of their title fight at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Here's a look at the punch, per Showtime Boxing:
DAZN's Andreas Hale and Magic Johnson reacted to the hit:
The Ring's Douglass Fischer called it a candidate for Knockout of the Year:
The fight had been an entertaining back-and-forth affair up to that point. Santa Cruz showed no fear, going right at Davis and trying to get him on the defensive early on. His aggressive approach turned out to be his downfall, as Davis stayed calm, grew into the bout and found an opportunity to show off the prodigious power that has made the 25-year-old Baltimore native a fan favorite.
While the fight was held at 130 pounds, Davis retained his WBA world lightweight title and won the WBA super featherweight world title from Santa Cruz. This was the first knockout loss for the 32-year-old Santa Cruz. Davis said he's ready to take on anyone after the win.
"Line them up, I'll knock them down one by one," he said, per the Showtime pay-per-view broadcast.
Santa Cruz was in fine form early on, applying constant pressure to Davis and forcing him to fight off his back foot. In spots where many fighters might be tentative against a hard hitter like Davis, Santa Cruz instead stuck to his typical game plan and forced the action. Boxing writer Dan Rafael praised Santa Cruz's strategy early on:
Davis appeared frustrated, at one point even pushing Santa Cruz to the ground in the second round. He weathered the early storm and grew into the bout in the third, rocking Santa Cruz with a left hook. To the Mexican fighter's credit, he hung in there and managed to unleash some rapid-fire combinations.
The fourth saw Davis get into a bit of a rhythm with his power punches. A right hook followed by a left uppercut to the head was a particular bright spot, but Santa Cruz refused to retreat. Here's a look at one of the better exchanges, per Showtime Boxing:
Santa Cruz's willingness to go toe-to-toe with Davis would eventually be his undoing. Davis found the timing on his power punches and was able to start landing them in between the bursts of action from Santa Cruz. There might have been opportunities for Santa Cruz to deliver a stunner of his own, but he's lacked serious power at 130 pounds. He was brilliant and brave, but there wasn't enough to keep Davis honest.
The explosiveness from the young champion is going to make him a big draw for years to come. Davis' next opponent is going to have to either respect his power or have enough strength of his own in order to keep Davis on the back foot.
Rising star Gervonta Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) will get one of the toughest tests of his career Saturday when he takes on Leo Santa Cruz (37-1-1, 19 KOs) in a pay-per-view bout at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
Davis is an undefeated southpaw who has won all but one of his 23 fights by stoppage. Still just 25, he's looking to establish himself as a bankable fighter who can dismantle top-level competition. Santa Cruz is a four-division world champion known for his stamina, chin and willingness to throw punches from the first round to the last. He's an underdog in this bout but should force Davis to work hard if he can avoid an early knockout.
The weight limit for the fight is 130 pounds. It's being promoted as a clash for the WBA lightweight and the WBA super featherweight world titles. A limited number of fans will be allowed to attend.
Here's how to watch from home.
Davis vs. Santa Cruz Fight Info
When: Saturday, Oct. 31 at 9 p.m. ET
Where: Alamodome in San Antonio
TV: Showtime pay-per-view ($74.99)
Live stream: Showtime.com or Showtime App pay-per-view ($74.99)
Odds (via Draftkings Sportsbook): Davis -770 (bet $770 to win $100), Santa Cruz +450 (bet $100 to win $450)
When we last saw Davis in December, he was busy pummeling a nails-tough Yuriorkis Gamboa to win the vacant WBA lightweight title in his first bout at 135 pounds. Davis scored three knockdowns in the bout and got a 12th-round stoppage, but those stats are a bit less impressive when you consider the 38-year-old Gamboa suffered an Achilles tear early on in the fight. Davis was never really in danger, but even he was a bit disappointed with his performance.
Despite the mixed showing, Tank is staying the course and taking on another tough veteran in Santa Cruz, who should provide an even greater technical challenge than Gamboa. Santa Cruz is 32 and coming off a decision win over Miguel Flores in November in his first fight at 130 pounds.
The Mexican native dominated at featherweight for years before moving up, losing just one fight to Carl Frampton, a result he immediately avenged. Santa Cruz is known for throwing punches in bunches and his seemingly bottomless reserve of energy, but he also feels that moving up to 130 pounds will help his power as well.
"For this training camp, I've weighed 148, 149," he said, per BoxingScene.com's Jake Donovan. "This is the biggest I've ever been. My body is growing, and I'm feeling much stronger at this new weight."
Santa Cruz will need to give Davis a reason to back off and not go right for the kill shot. He's taller and has a longer reach, so he can fight on the outside for long stretches if necessary, but the jab is going to have to be solid in order to deter Davis.
This match could be an opportunity for Davis to show some new wrinkles in his game. A protege of Floyd Mayweather Jr., the hard-hitting Baltimore native recently revealed he's looking to show he can not only dish out punishment but avoid it as well as he moves along in his career.
"As I step up there will be more defence, as defence wins championships, going out there and doing what I have to do," he told The Independent's Jack Rathborn. "It depends on the fighter too. Against a stronger opponent, I'd have to use more defensive skills."
Defense will come in handy if Santa Cruz tries to apply pressure and string together combinations. Davis' prodigious power is the main reason he's a strong favorite in this bout, but it could be his other abilities that get him a win against an opponent adept at going the distance.
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It's homecoming for Gervonta "Tank" Davis (21-0, 21 KOs) on Saturday night. The undefeated WBA world super featherweight champion will put his title on the line against unheralded challenger Ricardo Nunez (21-2, 19 KOs) at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore.
Davis, 24, will be stepping into a hometown ring for the first time in six years. The last time he did, he was a fresh-faced pro with little recognition. Now he's one of boxing's rising stars and a favorite son of Baltimore, with a key to the city to prove it, per Sporting News Fights:
All signs point to a resounding victory for Tank, who has 20 knockouts in 21 professional fights. He's a heavy favorite over Nunez, a 25-year-old from La Chorrera, Panama, who will make his U.S. debut on Saturday night. Look for him to put on a show as he lays the groundwork for bigger fights.
Davis vs. Nunez Fight Info
When: Saturday, July 27 at 9 p.m. ET
Where: Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore
TV: Showtime
Live stream: ShowtimeAnytime.com
Odds: Davis -2,500 (bet $2,500 to win $100), Nunez +1,800 (bet $100 to win $1,800)
Odds according to Oddschecker and updated as of Thursday, July 25 at 7 a.m. ET.
Saturday will be Davis' second defense of his WBA title, which he earned by beating Jesus Cuellar in April 2018. Davis wasted no time cementing his hold on the belt in his initial title defense, knocking out replacement fighter Hugo Ruiz in the first round of their bout in February. Davis was supposed to take on former world titleholder Abner Mares, but the latter had to pull out of the fight with a detached retina, per ESPN's Dan Rafael.
Davis is itching to prove himself against top competition again—he's already done a bit of that with wins over Cuellar and Jose Pedraza—but Nunez is not that caliber of fighter. He's a space-filler, someone Davis can get work in while he lines up a superfight. According to Sporting News' Mark Lelinwalla, targets include Ryan Garcia, Tevin Farmer and the pound-for-pound king, Vasiliy Lomachenko.
"Their shots are coming quick," Davis said, per Lelinwalla. "It's coming. It will definitely be here. They just got to be ready when it comes."
Everything good coming Davis' way hangs by a thread, however. He has faced multiple assault allegations over the years. A warrant was issued for his arrest as recently as May.
Already a two-time world champion at 24, Davis has the potential to be one of the sport's big-name draws, a pay-per-view regular. His inspiring backstory—escaping a turbulent, violent upbringing in Baltimore thanks to the sweet science—can endear him to millions, but he has to make better choices outside the ring.
His commitment to his hometown is part of that journey. According to the Baltimore Sun's Giana Han, Davis works with foster children—he was once in foster care himself—and has plans to help open a boxing center to give kids a safe place to go.
"Just having a boxing facility that can have kids somewhere off the streets will help a lot," Davis said, per Han.
And when it comes to his work in boxing, specifically inside the ring, Davis does seem to make all the right moves. He can string together combinations with eye-catching fluidity. Opponents have trouble getting out of the line of fire, and the punishment often piles up fast. Nunez does have a strong knockout record of his own, with 19 stoppages in 23 fights, but he's in trouble if he tries to stand and trade with Davis.
With two heavy-hitters trading blows, an early, perhaps even premature, stoppage could be in order. The boxing world is reeling from Tuesday's death of 28-year-old Russian boxer Maxim Dadashev as a result of brain injuries suffered in a one-sided bout against Subriel Matias on Friday.
That fight took place in Oxon Hill, Maryland, roughly 45 miles from where Davis and Nunez will fight on Saturday. According to the Washington Post's Gene Wang, The Maryland State Athletic Commission is investigating the match and the handling of Dadashev.
It wouldn't be surprising if the referee steps in or a fighter's corner throws in the towel to prevent any unnecessary damage Saturday. This goes for all the fights on the card, including the potential slugfest between veteran boxers Yuriorkis Gamboa and Roman "Rocky" Martinez.
Davis might want to box around and bank some rounds considering his previous fight was so brief, but with a cloud hanging over the sport and Davis clearly the superior talent, Saturday's fight could be a short one.
After falling short in his bid to become a world champion in April, super featherweight Stephen Smith returns to action against Daniel Brizuela on Sunday.
The bout—part of the undercard to Tony Bellew's clash with Ilunga Makabu for the vacant WBC cruiserweight belt—takes place at Goodison Park in Liverpool, England.
Smith could pick up the vacant WBC Silver strap, but what he really wants is another crack at a major title.
Standing in his way is Brizuela, a tough Argentinian fighter who is no stranger to an English audience. He lost to lightweights Tommy Coyle and Luke Campbell in 2014.
When: Sunday at 9 p.m. BST (4 p.m. ET)
Where: Goodison Park, Liverpool, England
TV: Sky Sports (UK)
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK)
Swift Return
Smith (23-2, 13 KOs) put up a brave display in losing to reigning IBF champion Jose Pedraza in April.
He received plenty of praise for his performance against the Puerto Rican in Mashantucket, Connecticut, but crucially failed to return home with the one thing he really wanted—the title.
Per Matchroom Boxing, the Liverpudlian has taken the positives out of the bout:
I am not getting any younger and I have shown I belong at that level so I want to stay at that level and be put straight back in at that level. If somebody offered me a world title fight next fight I would take it.
My confidence hasn’t dropped and I didn’t take any negatives from the Pedraza fight other than the results. I learnt a lot from it and will become a better fighter from it. It will only stand me in good stead for the future so the sooner I can get another shot at a world title the better.
At the age of 30, Smith has no desire to drop back down to domestic level. He has already won a Lonsdale belt at both featherweight and super featherweight.
Instead, he will look to keep busy while he waits for a door to open in the division. You see, the boxer nicknamed Swifty simply wants a quick return to a world title bout.
However, per FightNews.com, only the IBF ranks him in the top 15.
Nevertheless, battling Brizuela for their Silver title will boost his position with the WBC. For the record, Francisco Vargas is the governing body's current champion.
With brothers Paul and Callum also on the same bill, it will be something of a family affair on Sunday.
The only disappointment for the trio of Liverpool supporters is they have to step out at the home of archrival Everton. It's a small price to pay for Stephen, who wants to send a message by winning in style.
Third Time Lucky
Neutrals will be happy to see Brizuela (28-5-2, 8 KOs) back fighting on English soil again.
The 30-year-old was involved in a strong contender for fight of the year in 2014.
His battle with Coyle had to be seen to be believed—there were eight knockdowns in total, while they also had a point deducted apiece. Watching it made you physically exhausted.
Coyle looked to be heading for defeat until he found a way to force a sensational stoppage in Round 12. It was a stunning conclusion to a fight that had a bit of everything.
Brizuela travelled back to Hull, England, eight months later, though he couldn't quite cause the same problems for Campbell.
The Olympic gold medalist was far too slick for the South American, winning by TKO in Round 5.
Since then, Brizuela—who has a career knockout ratio of just 22 per cent, according to BoxRec—has dropped down in weight.
Having started his career campaigning at 140 pounds, he tipped the scales at 129 ¾ when losing to Mauricio Javier Munoz last time out.
Smith knows he cannot take his opponent lightly, as he told David Prentice of the Liverpool Echo: "He can obviously punch and his jaw must be tough to keep getting up, but I believe in my own ability and believe I’m a level above him."
Brizuela will hope it's a case of third time lucky in England, although it would be quite an upset if he pulled off a victory. Per Odds Shark, he is a 12-1 long shot.
Prediction
While Brizuela bothered Coyle, Campbell knocked him out. Smith is more like the latter, a skilled boxer who can pick apart an opponent who lacks a solid defence.
Even though he is not known for his power, Smith finished Devis Boschiero in 2015 with a wonderful body punch.
He can do something similar to Brizuela, who will at least be busy for as long as the bout lasts. While this one is scheduled for 10 rounds, don't expect it to make it that far.
Bleacher Report will have a live blog on the action from Liverpool on Sunday. Join us from 7:30 p.m. BST (2:30 p.m. ET) for updates on the action.
Super featherweight Stephen Smith found out the hard way that small details make a big difference at the very highest level.
The Englishman failed in his bid to take the IBF title from Jose Pedraza in Mashantucket, Connecticut on Saturday, as he was on the wrong end of a unanimous decision.
Swifty had no complaints about the final verdict. He produced an impressive performance in defeat, yet Pedraza thoroughly deserved to retain his crown.
Smith should be praised, but the words will fall on deaf ears while the defeat is still fresh in his mind. He had slowly worked his way to a world title shot only for the long and winding road to be a dead end.
Even when he was next in line to challenge the IBF champion, the 30-year-old from Liverpool still had to be patient.
Pedraza is tricky to deal with in the ring—he also happens to be tough to locate out of it. Co-promoter Lou DiBella told Jake Donovan of BoxingScene.com how difficult it was to pin down the Puerto Rican during the lengthy negotiation process.
The bout was initially planned for the start of the year only to be delayed. And delayed again. Then delayed a little longer after that. What was meant to happen in February finally took place on April 16.
Eventually, Smith got his shot. Cheered on by his three boxing brothers—Callum, Liam and Paul—at ringside, he acquitted himself well against an unbeaten opponent who had been bothered by Edner Cherry in his last outing. However, this was a different Pedraza at the Foxwoods Resort. A much better Pedraza.
He triumphed thanks mainly to two punches.
At 5’8 ½”, (two inches taller than Smith), Pedraza utilised his jab brilliantly. You could see just why he was nicknamed The Sniper as he shot out left hand after left hand from an orthodox stance. Thanks to his excellent footwork, he was often in and out with a jab before a counter could come back his way.
He also had a right hook that Smith struggled to avoid. It was the punch that produced the crucial moment in Round 9.
Swifty was on the way out after launching an attack when he was caught by a short, sharp hook.
At the domestic or European level, fighters would have been unable to capitalise on such a tiny window of opportunity. The classy Pedraza, though, sensed the moment.
The punch wasn’t venomous, but it didn't need to be. It was timed to perfection, catching his rival off-balance. Broadcasters Showtime tweeted footage of the knockdown:
Smith was hardly shaken badly by the shot. He actually fell forward into Pedraza as he lost his balance. The only thing dented was his pride as he took a standing count in a corner of the ring.
By following up with another dominant three minutes in Round 10, Pedraza had quickly put daylight between the pair on the scorecards.
Smith tried valiantly to repair the damage right through to the final bell. However, without a knockdown of his own, he knew what was coming when the scorecards were read out.
It was a third defeat for a British fighter challenging for the IBF strap at 130 pounds. Barry Michael, who was born in England but based in Australia, lost to Rocky Lockridge in 1987, while Welshman Floyd Havard came up short against John John Molina in 1994.
In his near miss, Smith showed he belongs at the world level. He told Micheal McKenna of the Liverpool Echo:
It’s one of those things; it’s a good learning fight for me. At the minute I’m devastated. A lot of people seem to be giving me a lot credit and hopefully I have shown that I can mix it at that level and I can be world champion in the future.
Myself, I believe I am destined to be world champion and I’ll work as hard as I have to, to get back and get another chance.
When his bruises have healed, Smith can return to work with trainer Joe Gallagher knowing what he needs to do to achieve his goal. Finding an easier opponent would be a good start.
Very few super featherweights will be as taxing to cope with as Pedraza. While Smith may have wanted to get inside and fight up close, the persistent jabs to his face made it tough to ever get in range.
Having won British and Commonwealth titles—the latter was at featherweight—Smith does not need to drop back down to work his way up. At his age, and with his level of experience in both the amateur and paid ranks, the focus should be on getting another opportunity at a major belt as soon as possible.
However, the division is getting a little crowded.
Vasyl Lomachenko steps up from featherweight in June—the Ukrainian fights WBO holder Roman Martinez. Nicholas Walters, meanwhile, has already had one outing at the 130-pound limit, surprisingly drawing with Jason Sosa in December 2015.
Per FightNews.com, Smith is only ranked inside the Top 15 by the IBF. There doesn't appear to be a quick and obvious route back to the top.
It may take a sizeable offer from promoter Eddie Hearn to tempt another champion to take Smith on.
There is, of course, the potential to move up again in weight.
While lightweight is only an extra five pounds, Smith stands at 5’6 ½” tall and has only managed a knockout ratio of 52 per cent in his career to date. Stepping up doesn't seem to be an option, even if it would make life easier on the scales.
What we do know is Smith can rally from a setback.
In response to losing against fellow featherweight Lee Selby in 2011, he moved to super featherweight and reeled off an 11-fight winning streak.
For now, though, super welterweight Liam remains the only world champion in the Smith family.
He was more fortunate than older sibling Stephen, as his title opportunity came against relatively unknown American John Thompson for the vacant WBO belt. That's not to say Beefy doesn't deserve the honour, but his task was much easier.
Super middleweight Callum, the youngest of the quartet and the mandatory challenger for Badou Jack’s WBC strap, has been tipped to go all the way.
But don’t sleep on Stephen Smith just yet. In attempting to become Britain’s 13th world champion, he was unlucky to run into Pedraza, a champion who had a point to prove.
Stephen "Swifty" Smith could become the second of four fighting siblings to win a world title when he faces IBF super featherweight champion Jose "Sniper" Pedraza on Saturday.
The Englishman Smith (23-1, 13 KOs) travels to the Foxwoods Resort in Connecticut for the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of younger brother Liam, who holds the WBO's super welterweight belt.
However, Pedraza (21-0, 12 KOs) has a perfect record as a pro. The Puerto Rican picked up the vacant IBF strap with a victory over Andrey Klimov in June 2015.
The card—which also includes Gary Russell Jr. defending the WBC featherweight title against Patrick Hyland—will be televised by Showtime in the United States. Sky Sports will provide live coverage in the United Kingdom in the early hours of Sunday morning.
When: Saturday at 11 p.m. ET (4 a.m. Sunday BST)
Where: Foxwoods Resort, Mashantucket, Connecticut
TV: Showtime (US), Sky Sports (UK)
Live stream: SkyGo (UK—subscription required)
Potential Star
A skilled, unbeaten Puerto Rican who holds a world title, Pedraza has all the ingredients to be a star. With Manny Pacquiao joining Floyd Mayweather Jr. in retirement, boxing could do with some fresh faces too.
However, despite his successes in the ring, the 26-year-old is still yet to crack the major markets in the United States.
According to co-promoter Lou DiBella, that isn't necessarily the boxer's fault.
DiBella told BoxingScene.com that the biggest stumbling block in negotiations for the Smith fight wasn't discussing terms with rival promoter Eddie Hearn:
It’s nuts, usually you go to a purse bid because you can’t work out terms with the other fighter. I had no problem with Eddie [Hearn]. We worked out the details the first time, and again when the fight went back to purse bid. But I couldn’t even get to my own fighter. It’s not his own fault, he has the wrong people giving him bad advice.
Pedraza avoided going on the road for the second defence of his title thanks to his promoters (Javier Bustillo and Gary Shaw are the others involved) winning the purse bid to stage the contest.
Sniper retained the strap against Edner Cherry in Ohio last time out, albeit on a split-decision verdict.
He got the nod 117-111 from two of the three judges at ringside, with the other scoring it 116-11 in favour of Cherry. The numbers did not do justice to how little there was between the pair.
Now, the champion, who won a silver medal at the 2009 World Amateur Boxing Championships, needs to show he belongs at the highest level.
Winning Run
Smith moved to the front of the queue to face Pedraza by stopping Devis Boschiero in September 2015.
It was his 11th win in a row since losing to Lee Selby, a fighter who was not so well-known at the time but has since gone on to become a world champion at featherweight.
The 30-year-old stepped up to super featherweight after the defeat against Selby in 2011. He has been on a tear since, including picking up the British belt in 2013 by knocking out Gary Buckland in Round 5.
He expects a tougher test against Pedraza, as he told Matchroom Boxing:
The Smiths (not the band) have coped with contrasting results in world-title fights. While Liam holds a belt, eldest brother Paul twice failed to take the WBO super middleweight strap from Arthur Abraham.
As for the other member of the fighting family, super middleweight Callum Smith—the youngest (25) of the quartet—is waiting in the wings for a crack at the WBC crown.
Stephen has patiently waited for his own opportunity at a title, as he explained to Micheal McKenna of the Liverpool Echo:
Going in off the back of a career best performance, you just want to keep the momentum going, keep the ball rolling. I was hoping it [Pedraza fight] would be before Christmas, then it was January, then February, before it was done for March 26. Finally it was April 16.
I took a week off, eased up, because I've over-trained in the past and lost a fight because of it. I've learnt my lesson from that.
It's not ideal but he's (Pedraza) in the same boat as me with all the messing around so there can't be any excuses.
Smith and his team bumped into Helena Christensen while working out at their hotel in New York. Swifty will hope to put in a model performance when he steps into the ring on Saturday.
Prediction
Pedraza has a height advantage (he's 5'8 ½", while Smith is 5'6 ½") and the ability to pose plenty of problems for Smith.
The champion will be much trickier to target than Boschiero, who Swifty was able to hunt down and pummel into submission.
Even if Smith does get on top, Pedraza proved against Cherry that he can find a way to come through tricky moments. It may not be pretty at times, but he will do the same against Smith, leading to a points win.
Stephen Smith moved himself to the front of the queue for a shot at the IBF super featherweight title with a victory over Devis Boschiero.
The local boy thrilled the crowd at the Olympia in Liverpool, England, with a sixth-round stoppage of an opponent who had previously never lost inside the distance.
Here, Bleacher Report takes a look at the some of the key talking points from the main bout as well as some of the other fights following the Matchroom Boxing card.
Brotherly Love
Beforehand, it looked to be the hardest test of Smith's career. However, it ended up being a career-best performance from the 30-year-old.
After a frustrating spell, Swifty (23-1, 13 KOs) stepped out of the shadows of his brothers—super middleweights Paul and Callum plus light middleweight Liam—with a dazzling display in his own back yard.
He set his stall out from the opening bell, putting Boschiero on the back foot early on. He looked to land shots to the body in particular.
The left hook, landing just under the Italian's ribs, was the punch for Smith.
Boschiero (37-4-1, 19 KOs) felt the full force of one such blow in the sixth round, dropping to the canvas. He managed to beat the count, buying himself extra time by losing his gum shield onto the canvas.
However, when Smith repeated the shot again soon after, the visiting fighter was finished.
The winner admitted afterward that he knew a stoppage was on the cards in the round, per Micheal McKenna of the Liverpool Echo, "The shot actually came in the end when I was looking for it. I knew I was hurting him when I went to the body because I could hear the winces from him."
Wayne Rooney was impressed by Smith's work:
Waiting Game
Smith now has to wait to find out who his next opponent will be.
The current IBF champion is Jose Pedraza, an unbeaten Puerto Rican who will defend the title against Edner Cherry in Cincinnati on October 3.
Eddie Hearn, Smith's promoter, is not certain that Pedraza—who is in Al Haymon's ever-growing stable of fighters—will be next, even if he retains the belt next month.
Per Chris McKenna of the Daily Star, Hearn said, "Sometimes they want to move up, sometimes they want to relinquish the belt, sometimes they don't want to go purse bids. Anything can happen. I wouldn’t be surprised to get a vacant world title shot. That would suit us as we could put the fight on in Liverpool."
Cherry, meanwhile, is a 33-year-old who was born in the Bahamas but is now based in Florida.
He has a 34-6-2 (19 KOs) record that includes defeats at the hands of Timothy Bradley and Paulie Malignaggi, although both losses came at a higher weight.
Regardless of who Smith ends up facing and where the bout occurs, the Englishman should be full of confidence after the beating he handed out to Boschiero.
An Unhappy Return
The undercard in Liverpool was notable for two surprise results.
First, lightweight Sean Dodd made the most of a late chance to fight Gary Buckland, beating the experienced Welshman to potentially earn a shot at British champion Scotty Cardle.
Sport is all about taking opportunities, and Dodd seized his.
Having been drafted in by the promoters at short notice after Cardle had to pull out due to injury, the stand-in proved more than adequate.
Dodd did enough over the 10 rounds to claim the impressive scalp of Buckland, a former British champion at super featherweight, in just his 11th professional outing.
Even the 31-year-old seemed a little surprised at the outcome, according to boxing writer John Angus MacDonald:
In contrast to Dodd's delight, Bradley Saunders endured a night to forget.
The light welterweight was making his comeback from a hand injury that had scuppered a Commonwealth title shot against Dave Ryan earlier in the year.
Renald Garrido's record (14-11-1) suggested he wouldn't pose many problems, even if the Frenchman had never previously been stopped.
Saunders never got to grips with the challenge presented by Garrido, who became more and more dominant with each round.
He dropped the Englishman in the sixth round, though that wasn't quite the end of the fight. Saunders was able to carry on, only to be disqualified for illegal use of the head. You can take a look at the butting incident for yourself:
Garrido reeled back after the incident before dropping down to the canvas, though the pain seemed to disappear as soon as he realised his opponent had been disqualified by the referee.
A first career defeat wasn't even the worst thing to happen to Saunders on the night, though. He later tweeted a picture revealing that he had injured both his hands:
Saunders said afterward, per Tim Rickson of British Boxing News, "I don’t want to go out on getting beat, I’ll learn from it."
Sometimes, a loss isn't the biggest issue for a boxer. Nevermind title shots—Saunders may now be fighting to keep his career alive.
