By Barry Holbrook: Shakur Stevenson will be challenging Carl Frampton for the WBO super featherweight title in the fall in a stadium fight in Northern Ireland if Carl defeats WBO 130-lb belt-holder Jamel Herring on April 3rd.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum says he’s not going to match the unbeaten Shakur (15-0, 8 KOs) against WBC super featherweight champion Oscar Valdez next, as he wants Shakur to take a tune-up in June and then face the Herring – Frampton winner.
Frampton must beat Herring
In an ideal scenario, Frampton (28-2, 16 KOs) will beat Herring (22-2, 10 KOs) and then meet up with Shakur, 23, in a huge stadium fight in the fall in Northern Ireland.
From that point, the winner of the Frampton vs. Stevenson fight will likely meet WBC 130lb champion Valdez (29-0, 23 KOs) in a unification clash in early 2022.
First things first, Frampton will challenge Herring for his WBO strap next month on April 3rd on ESPN at the Caesars Palace Dubai, in Dubai.
Frampton, 34, will be vying for his third division world title in that clash, which would make him Ireland’s first three-division world champion.
Many boxing fans believe Frampton will be too good for the 35-year-old Herring, who hasn’t fought anyone with his kind of talent yet.
It’s unclear what Arum’s plans are if Herring defeats Frampton on April 3rd, as that’s not something that would lead to a big stadium affair. Herring and Stevenson aren’t popular enough on their own to fight in a stadium.
They need Frampton for that, and that’s why he must defeat Herring so that Arum can realize his vision.
Shakur Stevenson NOT facing Oscar Valdez next
“Oscar [Valdez] has really come along, and he’s become such a talented guy,” said Bob Arum to iFL TV about Valdez’s recent win over Berchelt.
“I don’t know about next,” said Arum when asked if he plans on matching Valdez against Shakur Stevenson next.
“We got a lot of things in the mix [for Shakur]. We got the Frampton-Herring winner has to fight Shakur. He might go in that direction.
“We’re going to give Shakur a fight in June to keep him active. Very frankly, if [Carl] Frampton wins over [Jamel] Herring, we’re planning in the early fall to do Frampton against Shakur in this big stadium in Northern Ireland. That’s the plan,” said Arum.
Frampton vs. Stevenson will be a huge fight in the fall, and it’s going to be exciting.
Carl has never tasted defeat while fighting at home in Ireland, making it hard for Stevenson to come up with a victory. Frampton has better offensive skills, power, and hand speed than Shakur.
It’s a good thing that Arum is choosing to wait on matching Shakur Stevenson against Osar Valdez, as that’s a fight that would be better to be marinated for a little while.
If Stevenson can come into the match with Valdez as the WBO super featherweight champion, it makes for a more compelling fight than if he were just a challenger.
Arum pleased with Valdez
“Everybody loves him because he has such a wonderful personality, and he speaks so well, even though he was born in Nogales,” said Arum about Oscar Valdez.
“He was educated in Tucson in the United States, so he speaks perfectly in both languages, and he’s a real gem.
“While we promoted Berchelt some, and he’s a great warrior, I couldn’t help but take a lot of pride when Oscar performed the way he did because Top Rank has done every single fight for Oscar from the time he turned pro. So good props for him, a great victory,” said Arum.
Valdez’s victory over WBC super featherweight champion Miguel Berchelt on February 20th was a huge one, as it potentially sets up important fights for 2022 and later.
Oscar has an exciting fighting style, and he’s someone that will make it interesting next year in a battle against Stevenson, Frampton, or Herring.