By Jeff Aronow: Jamel ‘Semper Fi’ Herring (23-3, 11 KOs) says he’s not sure about his future after dropping his WBO tremendous featherweight title to challenger Shakur Stevenson (17-0, 9 KOs) final Saturday night time on the State Farm Enviornment in Atlanta.
Herring, 35, apologized to his followers after the loss, congratulating Stevenson for his win, however he’s not sure which path to go in along with his profession.
At 35-years-old, Herring isn’t younger sufficient to slowly work his method into one other title shot in two or three years. It would take a very long time for Herring to get one other title shot, and it’s unclear whether or not he can beat the younger lions to get that chance.
The 24-year-old Stevenson was too quick, too correct and too sharp for Herring final Saturday night time. Shakur was choosing Herring aside on the skin along with his lightning-fast jab and single photographs.
When Herring took the battle to the within within the second half, Stevenson surprisingly proved to be the higher fighter in that space too.
When the referee would separate them, Shakur would rapidly hearth off three-punch mixtures earlier than Herring might react. We noticed this sample repeatedly occur within the second a part of the battle.
Referee Mark Nelson stepped in and stopped the battle within the tenth spherical after Shakur rattled off an avalanche of punches to the top of the bleeding Herring, who had been minimize over his proper eye moments earlier.
Herring desirous about his household
“I received to consider my household. I don’t know,” mentioned Jamel Herring when interviewed after his loss to Stevenson. “In fact, my man BoMac desires me to wipe myself off and return to the health club.
“There’s simply no give up in me. I’ve been labeled as the whole lot. I needed to indicate that I’d push by means of the whole lot. On the similar time, I do have to consider my household, particularly my mother, my two daughters, who’ve autism.
“I’ve received to begin looking for them. In fact, I put myself by means of hell and again, however I’ve received to begin desirous about folks that basically care about me and love me.
“Like I mentioned, nobody anticipated me to get this far. I’m simply grateful. I’ve received to attend and see what occurs subsequent.
Congratulations to Shakur Stevenson,” mentioned Herring. “I need to apologize to all people. I attempted. My apologies; I attempted. He’s sharp and slick,” Herring mentioned of Shakur.
“His eye coordination is excellent. I’ve no excuses. He was the higher man tonight.
“I began gradual, however as I mentioned yesterday, I can’t do the chess match with him. I needed to chunk down, present that grittiness and push ahead,” mentioned Herring.
Prime Rank can actually match Herring towards WBC tremendous featherweight champion Oscar Valdez or undefeated IBF/WBA/WBO light-weight champion Teofimo Lopez if they want. But it surely’s unlikely they’ll try this.
If Herring desires a title shot, he’s going to need to put the time in and sure win a title eliminator towards one in all these contenders at 130:
- Muhamadkhuja Yaqubov
- O’Shaquie Foster
- Robson Conceicao
- Archie Sharp
Shakur Stevenson will take over – says Herring
“He’s going to take over and proceed being nice,” mentioned Herring on what he sees in the way forward for Shakur Stevenson. “No onerous emotions. We made up; we’re not buddies.
“Shakur will do nice issues. I’ve nothing towards him. I do know some folks had a nasty image of him, however he’s not a nasty dude.
“He’s a superb child, and that’s why I by no means took it personally. I simply hope Shakur retains doing what he do and will get the larger fights, and I’ll get pleasure from being a fan and watching him behind the scenes.
I simply need to thank everybody for his or her limitless help. Congratulations to @ShakurStevenson, he was the higher man, and even once I knew I used to be down I drained my hardest to push ahead, it doesn’t matter what. There was no give up in me, however total I want Shakur one of the best! Thanks all 🙏🏾
— Jamel Herring (@JamelHerring) October 24, 2021
“He was youthful quicker, and he was sharp,” mentioned Herring’s coach BoMac McIntyre in speaking about Shakur.
“He was sharp tonight. I take my hat off to Shakur and the entire staff over there. And I didn’t anticipate that [Stevenson staying in the trenches].
“I believed he was going to maneuver like in his final battle [against Jeremia Nakathilia] and one other couple of fights.
“However hey, that they had a superb sport plan, he executed, and he received the win,” mentioned BoMac about Shakur.
We’ll see if Shakur can “take over” the tremendous featherweight division. It’ll rely on Stevenson’s promoters at Prime Rank, who might want to arrange fights towards these fighters:
- Oscar Valdez
- Emanuel Navarrete
- Roger Gutierrez
- Leo Santa Cruz
- Chris Colbert
- Shavkat Rakhimov
These are some thrilling choices obtainable for Shakur at 130, nevertheless it’s questionable whether or not Stevenson will keep within the division lengthy sufficient to battle a couple of or two of them.
Shakur is more likely to transfer as much as 135 quickly and go after the large names in that division, as that’s the place the cash is.
The tremendous featherweight division isn’t well-liked with the boxing public within the U.S, and Stevenson could make much more cash if he heads North to the light-weight division to tackle Devin Haney, Teofimo Lopez, Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, Vasily Lomachenko, and Ryan Garcia.
It’s questionable whether or not Stevenson can beat Lomachenko or Tank Davis. These guys are distinctive, and they might know how one can cope with Shakur’s hand velocity and sharp punching.
Prime Rank boss Bob Arum could be hesitant at letting Shakur combine it up with Lomachenko and Tank, understanding what might occur to him if he makes these fights.
Stevenson has seemed nice at 126 and 130, nevertheless it could be a complete totally different kettle of fish at light-weight if he faces the unsuitable man.
It’s good that Stevenson held his floor towards Herring final night time, as his tendency to ‘pull again’ repeatedly to keep away from taking photographs has irritated the followers in a few of his important fights.
This isn’t simply one thing that popped up for Stevenson towards Jeremia Nakathilia in his final contest.
Shakur has used his safety-first preventing model since he turned professional, and it’s solely lately that followers are taking discover because of the improve in his opposition.
