Shakur Stevenson will defend his WBC Lightweight World Title against an unexpected opponent this weekend in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The champion's original challenger, Floyd Schofield, had to pull out due to illness.
Stevenson will now face undefeated British boxer Josh Padley. The 29-year-old from Yorkshire sports a record of 15 wins with 4 knockouts. Padley recently upset Mark Chamberlain in a ten-round unanimous decision at Wembley Stadium. That fight took place on the undercard of Daniel Dubois vs Anthony Joshua during a Riyadh Season event.
Schofield, a rising star in the 135-pound division, couldn't make it to the fight. He ended up in the hospital while struggling to make the check weight.
This marks Stevenson's return to the ring after a seven-month break. He had hand surgery following his successful title defense against Artem Harutyunyan. Stevenson won the WBC Lightweight World Title in November 2023 by beating Edwin De Los Santos.
"I'm ready to show why I'm the best in the world," Stevenson said. "Padley stepped up, but the result will be the same. I'm taking that belt back home."
Padley got the call on short notice but feels prepared.
"I've been training hard and waiting for an opportunity like this," Padley said. "Stevenson is great, but I'm here to shock the world again."
The event organizers, Riyadh Season, moved quickly to keep the title fight on the card. Interestingly, Chamberlain, who Padley beat, is a favorite of Turki Alalshikh, who's linked to Riyadh Season.
If Stevenson wins, he'll likely move on to bigger fights. William Zepeda is the mandatory challenger, but he's set for a rematch with Tevin Farmer in March. Eddie Hearn, a prominent boxing promoter, thinks Zepeda is avoiding Stevenson.
A long-awaited unification bout with Gervonta Davis could also be on the horizon for Stevenson. But first, he must get past the determined Padley in Riyadh.
The Fight Disciples confirmed Padley as the new opponent on social media, setting the stage for an intriguing title fight this weekend.
