Shakur Stevenson labours to WBC lightweight crown in win over De Los Santos

In Las Vegas, Undefeated American boxer Stevenson managed to secure a not so compelling unanimous decision victory against Dominican Republic's Edwin De Los Santos.

Shakur Stevenson, an American boxer who has never lost a fight, fought a tough battle against Edwin De Los Santos from the Dominican Republic to win the vacant WBC world lightweight championship title. However, the fight was not very exciting, and fans were not happy with the lack of action in the ring, showing their disappointment by booing.

The 26-year-old fighter remained undefeated and now has a record of 21 wins and 10 knockouts. He defeated De Los Santos by scores of 115-113, 116-112, and 116-112 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Thursday night, making it an easy win.

Stevenson secured his third world championship title at various weight divisions, having previously held the titles of featherweight and junior lightweight champion.

However, both fighters gave a disappointing performance, resulting in the audience expressing their dissatisfaction during the later rounds with loud boos heard throughout the arena.

According to the Compubox stats, De Los Santos threw only 40 punches in the 12 rounds. This is the smallest tally of punches ever recorded in a 12-round fight since Compubox was introduced 38 years ago.

Stevenson admitted that his performance during the match wasn't very exciting.

"I didn't perform well tonight and that's the only thing on my mind," he expressed. "I didn't feel great but I can handle it. It's alright, my main goal was to win and that's what I aimed for coming here."

Stevenson did not reveal if he had any injury or illness that affected his performance. He avoided answering questions about his left hand, which he used only 21 times throughout the competition.

"I have no comment on it - I won't offer any explanations," he stated. "I simply didn't feel well prior to the match."

During the fight, De Los Santos, with a record of 16 wins and 2 losses, frequently forced Stevenson to retreat. However, De Los Santos struggled to connect with punches when he had the chance, causing him to pursue his opponent and miss out on opportunities.

After being defeated, he criticized Stevenson's approach as being overly aggressive and unproductive.

"I came to compete, but he came for a race," De Los Santos exclaimed, gesturing towards the nearby Las Vegas Boulevard which showcased the Formula One cars during their practice session amid the grand opening night of the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The event's qualifying round occurs on Friday evening, and the main competition is set for Saturday night.

I arrived with the intention to brawl, however, Shakur Stevenson resolved not to engage. He was given the championship title, but I believe I am the one who truly represents the people as their champion.

Stevenson had a major consideration on his mind - who would be his next opponent. However, he expressed his desire to take a break for approximately two months owing to his rigorous seven-month long training.

According to Andre Ward, who is a mentor and former champion, it is necessary for him to revisit and analyze what alterations he must implement.

"He appeared to be a bit tired tonight. He will try to figure out why that is. He definitely requires some rest...he never misses a workout. He is a top-notch fighter, and for fighters of his caliber, who are usually accustomed to winning with ease, when they don't have a dominant performance, it may feel like a defeat."

Currently, he is dealing with that specific issue. Nevertheless, it is beneficial for him and puts things into perspective. It serves as a reminder that the game can be indifferent towards you at times.