Shakur Stevenson marked his light-weight debut with a dominant stoppage win over Shuichiro Yoshino earlier than calling out the division’s undisputed champion Devin Haney.
The previous featherweight and super-featherweight world champion made gentle work of his beforehand unbeaten Japanese opponent, pulling down Yoshino within the second and fourth rounds earlier than the referee stopped the competition within the sixth session of a massively one-sided contest.
Stevenson moved as much as the 135lbs restrict after being stripped of his super-featherweight titles in September final 12 months having did not make weight for a title defence towards Robson Conceicao, and the 25-year-old instantly seemed comfy in his new setting.
The 2016 Olympic silver-medallist’s skilled document now stands at 20-0 with 10 knockouts, and he has instantly set his sights on a conflict with fellow American Haney after turning into the necessary challenger for the division’s WBC title.
Haney (29-0) is scheduled to defend his belts towards former champion Vasiliy Lomachenko in Las Vegas on Could 20, reside on Sky Sports activities, and Stevenson says he is able to tackle the winner, however appeared to carry specific confidence over a possible matchup with the present champion.
“Inform them ‘come on’,” Stevenson stated within the ring after his victory in New Jersey.
“I have been ready for this for a very long time.
Devin Haney maintained his standing as undisputed light-weight champion with a convincing win over George Kambosos Jr in October 2022.
“Me and Devin been within the ring with one another for years, I at all times bought the most effective of Devin.
“Inform him ‘come on’.”
Yoshino, who was preventing outdoors of Japan for the primary time, went into the competition sitting fourth within the WBC’s light-weight rankings.
