Stevenson, Rodriguez, Fundora take center stage

FIGHT WEEK

Shakur Stevenson, “Bam” Rodriguez and Sebastian Fundora will star in a crowded Saturday night across the US

SHAKUR STEVENSON (19-0.9 KOS)
WITH. SHUICHIRO YOSHINO (16-0, 12 KOS)

• When: Saturday, April 8
• Time: 10pm ET / 7pm Pacific Time (main event follows)
• Where: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
• television/stream: GAME, GAME +
• Assignment: Light weight (135 pounds)
• threatened: No main title
• Pound-for-pound ratings: Stevenson number 13
• the odds: Stevenson 11½-1 favorite (multi-store average)
• Also on the card: Jared Anderson versus George Arias, heavyweights; Keyshawn Davis vs. Anthony Yigit, lightweight
• Guess: Stevenson University
• Background: Stevenson is one of the few boxers capable of succeeding Terence Crawford as king of the weight. The 25-year-old from Newark will compete as an official 135-pound athlete for the first time after losing the 130-pound title on the scale ahead of his defense against Robson Conceicao in September. , which Stevenson won by a broad decision. That followed sensational back-to-back victories against the belt holder at the time Jamel Herring (KO 10) And Oscar Valdez (UD), which marked the talented Stevenson as one of the fastest rising stars in the sport. Yoshino is a significant loser (see above) but he is not one to be easily persuaded. The 31-year-old boxer from Tokyo, competing outside his hometown for the first time, showed his mettle with convincing victories over capable compatriot Masayuki Ito (TD) last April and Masayoshi Nakatani (KO 6) in November. Stevenson’s promoter, Bob Arum, said he wants Stevenson to take on the winner of a May 20 matchup between undisputed champion Devin Haney and his former employer. Vasiliy Lomachenko if Stevenson wins on Saturday.

JESSE “BAM” RODRIGUEZ (17-0, 11 KOS)
WITH. CRISTIAN GONZALEZ (15-1, 5 KOS)

• When: Saturday, April 8
• Time: 8pm ET / 5pm PT (main event after that)
• Where: Boeing Center at Tech Port, San Antonio
• television/stream: DAZN
• Assignment: Fly class (112 pounds)
• threatened: WBO title vacant
• Pound-for-pound ratings: Do not have
• the odds: Rodriguez 18-1 favorite (multi-store average)
• Also on the card: Murodjon Akhmadaliev vs Marlon Tapales, junior featherweight (for Akhmadaliev’s IBF and WBA titles); Raymond Ford vs. Jessie Magdaleno, featherweight; Thomas Mattice versus Ramiro Cesena, junior lightweight; Israel Madrimov vs. Raphael Igbokwe, middleweight
• Guess: Rodríguez KO 9
• Background: Talented Rodriguez had a brilliant 2022, knocks down Carlos Cuadras (UD), Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (TKO 8) And Israel Gonzalez (UD) to assert herself as a budding star. He won’t slow down in 2023. He dropped from 115 pounds (he was holding the minor belt at the time) to 112 to fight Cristian Gonzalez for the vacant WBO belt on Saturday in his hometown. Rodriguez fought at 112 most recently in October 2021. He has saved his last six opponents in that weight class, which seems to be an indication of his physical prowess at the division. lower weight. Gonzalez is taking a big step forward in opposition. The 32-year-old Mexican has a good skill set but limited power, as his low knockdown rate shows. He will fight for the first time since last March, when he stopped driver Juan Alejo Zuniga in the first round. He has never fought outside of his homeland. Also in this bout, Uzbekistan’s Murodjon Akhmadaliev (11-0.8 KOs) will defend his 122-pound IBF and WBA titles against former 118-pound belt Marlon Tapales (36-3, 19 KOs) of the Philippines. Akhmadaliev, the former amateur star, has overtaken Daniel Roman to win the title in 2020 and has successfully defended it three times.

SEBASTIAN FUNDORA (20-0-1, 13 KOS)
WITH. BRIAN MENDOZA (21-2, 15 KOS)

• When: Saturday, April 8
• Time: 10pm ET / 7pm Pacific Time (main event follows)
• Where: Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California
• television/stream: Showtime
• Assignment: Junior middleweight (154 pounds)
• threatened: No main title
• Pound-for-pound ratings: Do not have
• the odds: Fundora 10½-1 favorite (multi-store average)
• Also on the card: Brandun Lee vs. Pedro Campa, junior weight class; Luis Nunez vs Christian Olivo, featherweight
• Guess: Fundora KO 10
• Background: Fundora has emerged as a popular contender due to his unusual height (6 foot-6) and bruised style. The 25-year-old from the Southern California desert has quashed the notion that he’s nothing more than a physical freak when he gets up from a fall. stop Erickson Lubin in April last year. He followed that with a unanimous decision victory over Carlos Ocampo in October, a match where he hit more than usual. A win over Mendoza would keep Fundora close to the front line to face undisputed 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo, though Charlo is expected to defend Tim Tszyu next. Mendoza is a 29-year-old boxer from Albuquerque. He has lost two of his three games between 2019 and 2021, a split decision against Larry Gomez and a one-sided decision against rising star Jesus Ramos. However, he recovered by stopping laner Benjamin Whitaker (TKO 5) and former unified champion Jeison Rosario (KO 5). The win that followed, a major breakthrough, earned him a spot at Fundora.

FIGHT THIS WEEK

WEDNESDAY

• Carlos Sanchez vs Alexander Duran, 10 rounds, youth weight division, Mexico City (ProBox TV).

THURSDAY

• Angel Acosta vs Angelino Cordova, flyweight, Indio, California (DAZN).

FRIDAY

• Shinard Bunch vs Bryan Flores, junior weight class, Brooks, California (Showtimes)

SATURDAY

• Kenshiro Teraji vs Anthony Olascuaga, junior flyweight (for Teraji’s WBA and WBC titles), Tokyo (ESPN+).