Undoubtedly, the credit was his to take. After all, he became a world champion for the third time in a six-year-old career. However, Shakur Stevenson couldn’t escape the scathing criticism that turned up over his performance despite winning unanimously against Edwin De Los Santos.
Shakur Stevenson will buckle against a topliner, says Edwin De Los Santos
So speaking to ‘Millcity Boxing’, De Los Santos said that it was listless when asked for his opinion on the bout. He said, “You know it was a very, very boring fight. You know the guy came to survive.” Then he further added, “It wasn’t what we expected of him. Everybody got him; ‘so’-called’ he’s a superstar.” The host then asked, “How do you think he does with ‘Tank’?”
Edwin De Los Santos replied, “He won’t stand a chance with the guys [that] are the elites; like the real elites, he won’t stand a chance.” The Dominican boxer’s tirade against a boxer who inflicted his second career loss is understandable.
Even during the in-ring post-fight interview, he slammed the American boxer. He said, “You know what? I came to fight; he came for a track meet, and I wouldn’t say that I’m on his level; I say I’m above his level because I came to fight tonight. I came to put on a fight, and Shakur Stevenson decided not to fight…”
If truth be told, in each round of their match, neither Stevenson nor De Los Santos landed punches that counted more than a single digit. No wonder, for a twelve-round fight, the bout earned an unpleasant distinction. It was a match with the lowest number of thrown strikes, establishing a new CompuBox record. But statistics aside, perhaps reputationally, ‘Sugar’ received the lion’s share of criticism.
Rumination needed, or ‘Sugar’ remains as good as ever?
So when he criticized Stevenson, did De Los Santos mean that he wasn’t aggressive enough to swarm up and fight? Or does it have anything to do with his boxing prowess per se? Though appreciated for his jabs, in-ring movement, and innate ability to avoid punches, many slam Shakur Stevenson for a safety-first approach. Thus, his fighting style often gets labeled as spiritless and dull.
Opportunities are galore for Stevenson to become the next big name in boxing. However, some feel that he has to crank up his game. He fought eight bouts during the last three years. But the wins split equally between early stoppages and decisions. Notwithstanding the risks involved, a little self-introspection might help to determine if he should take a more aggressive approach in the ring.
What’s your take on De Los Santos’s statement? Do you agree with him that Shakur Stevenson is barely a match against top-end fighters?
