Stevenson maintains consistent respect for Toka Clary in the final presser
On Saturday December 12, super featherweight “Fearless” Shakur Stevenson (14-0, 8 KO’s) will take on Toka “T-Nice” Khan Clary (28-2, 19 KO’s). For the better part of it, the boxing media and public are viewing Clary like he is cattle heading to slaughter. Yet, Stevenson himself has maintained a high regard for the Liberian pugilist throughout the prefight hype.
Years ago, he watched him from afar as they both progressed through the amateur ranks. Being separated by five years in age, they never had an occasion to dance in the ring. However, having seen him up close, the New Jersey native is not willing to sleep on him now. Identical to T-Nice, Stevenson believes that the critics are being overly harsh. In his opinion, they are not giving his next-out his just due.
At the same time however, Stevenson is very self-assured that he will dominate in the ring.
“You got to realize I got a fighter in front of me, I’m fighting Toka Khan. With all due respect to him, I don’t think he is a bad fighter at all! I agree with everything that he was saying, they are looking at him as a bum. But I don’t see him as no bum, I see him as real task.
Saturday night I am going to make sure I put my best performance on against a solid fighter…fireworks! I want to show the world that I am one of the best young fighters in the sport. I need them to put a lot more respect on my name, so on Saturday we going to show them why!”
SAVE LATER FOR LATER
At the current moment, Fearless has a slew of juicy fight options within the super featherweight division. With a belt, he is looking at fun potential unification bouts with champions (IBF) Joseph “Jo-Jo” Diaz (31-1, 15 KO’s), (WBC) Miguel “El Alacran” Berchelt (37-1, 33 KO’s) and (WBA) Gervonta “Tank” Davis (24-0, 23 KO’s). Luckily, Stevenson is aware that looking up the road could get you hurt now.
So, he is intently focused on T-Nice now. If successful, then he will turn his attention to those other bouts. Even then though, the very first order of business would be facing the winner of WBO world super featherweight Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring (22-2, 10 KO’s) and Carl “The Jackal” Frampton (28-2, 16 KO’s).
With his #1 WBO ranking in the division, he is guaranteed the first crack at the victor. With that WBO strap, he can greatly shift future business negotiations in his favor. Yet for now, like Stevenson, we first have to await the outcome of the Toka Khan Clary prizefight.
By: Bakari Simpson
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