Jamel Herring and Shakur Stevenson Both Sign Their Contracts!
Well, the waiting for WBO super featherweight champion Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring (23-2, 11 KO’s) to fight “Fearless” Shakur Stevenson (16-0, 8 KO’s) is at an end. Both fighters have signed their half of an October 23 contract for a showdown to take place at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA according ESPN. Herring and Stevenson have been on an inevitable crash course for some time.
RESERVED RIVALS
The somewhat comical nature of this upcoming duel is the fact that neither of the principal characters want to fight one another. In fact, both of them would rather lock horns with WBC super featherweight champion Oscar Valdez (29-0, 23 KO’s). Being in the twilight of his career Herring (35), would have rather pursued the unification to help bolster his resume and legacy in the sport.
For his part, Stevenson (24), has been chasing a fight with Valdez since their days at featherweight. Despite both men wanting to be the first to defeat the talented Mexican boxer, the business of the sport pushed them together. Both are promoted by Top Rank and Fearless, with his WBO #1 super featherweight ranking, is Herring’s mandatory challenger.
While it’s never a great idea to count a fighter completely out, Fearless will enter the bout as the overwhelming favorite. Stevenson has never taken Herring to be a serious threat and has continuously lambasted him in his social media accounts. Soon we shall see if his tough talk was warranted or merely unattainable bluster.
By: Bakari Simpson
