Shakur Stevenson failed to impress the Las Vegas masses in a shot-shy performance that saw many fans walk out of the T-Mobile Arena.
The Top Rank star and opponent Edwin De Los Santos failed to ignite as round after round passed without significant action.
Nonetheless, Stevenson moved to 21-0 and captured the vacant WBC lightweight crown to become a three-weight world champion. However, the win may have come at the expense of his entertainment value.
The Newark native claimed the green and gold with a unanimous decision against the Dominican puncher, who dropped to 16-2, 14 KOs. Southpaw Stevenson, 26, was never in danger of losing, rarely giving De Los Santos any opportunity to land on him by stepping back to avoid exchanges.
Shakur Stevenson fails to impress in Las Vegas
De Los Santos grew more frustrated as the rounds progressed. He began to taunt Stevenson in the fifth round as boos rang out in the arena. Santos could not crack the Stevenson code and spent the final rounds eating counterpunches and missing when he threw.
At the end of twelve excruciating rounds, scores read 116-112 twice and 115-113 to Stevenson.
CompuBox, who crunched the fight’s punch stats, soon confirmed that the contest was history-making.
Stevenson vs De Los Santos punch stats
“De Los Santos made CompuBox history tonight. His 40 landed punches are the fewest landed punches in a twelve-round fight in CompuBox’s 38-year history.
“In the co-main event, Emanuel Navarrete landed 23 power punches in the eleventh round. Stevenson and De Los Santos, respectively, landed 19 and 14 power punches over 12 rounds.
“Neither fighter reached double-digits in landed punches in any round. Stevenson won the fight by landing 46 jabs.
“They combined to land 33 power punches. De Los Santos landing 40 punches is the fewest landed in a twelve-round fight in CompuBox’s 38-year history.
They combined to land 33 power punches. DeLosSantos 40 landed punches are the fewest landed in a 12-round fight in CompuBox's 38 yr. history. #StevensonDeLosSantos pic.twitter.com/NRcnpETBFm
— CompuBox (@CompuBox) November 17, 2023
After his victory, Stevenson admitted he was a little under the weather.
Stevenson said, “I had a bad performance tonight. That’s all I’m really focused on. I wasn’t feeling too good, so I’ll live with it. It’s okay. I came here and got the victory. That’s all I wanted to do.
“I just didn’t feel good. I didn’t feel good before the fight. Honestly, I had already told myself that if I feel like this in the ring and it’s not going well, I will make sure that I box and get the victory.”
In contrast, De Los Santos claimed his lowest punch haul was enough to finish the job.
“We all know what happened. He came for a track meet. He didn’t come to fight. I showed that I am on a higher level because he never stood and fought like he does with other fighters.
“I did my job. He came to survive. That’s what he did. They gifted him the title, but I’m the people’s champion.”
Top Rank’s decision to stage the event on a Thursday evening, two nights before the Las Vegas Grand Prix in Nevada, faces question marks after the event.
