Stevenson: I’m With My People And Everything Going On; Focused On My Fight

Shakur Stevenson entered his most recent training camp amidst a pandemic felt around the world, expecting to merely come out of it as the first televised headliner in the United States in nearly three months.

Instead, his next ring appearance will be accompanied by a movement which has carried a global impact.

The unbeaten 22-year old was deep in training as anti-racist protests and rallies began taking place in every major city in the United States over the course of the past two weeks and counting. Any information obtained by Stevenson has come during downtime, as he remains locked in for his June 9 clash versus Puerto Rico’s Felix Caraballo (13-1-2, 9KOs) which will air live on ESPN (7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT) from MGM Grand Conference Center Ballroom in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Honestly, I’ve been more focused on this fight,” Stevenson (13-0, 7KOs) confessed when asked for his take on the current Black Lives Matter movement during a recent media conference call to otherwise discuss his upcoming bout. “I understand everything that’s been going on and I’m with my people and everything that’s going on. But, I got a fight coming up and I’ve been in the gym every day, then going home.”

Stevenson—a 2016 Olympic Silver medalist and reigning featherweight titlist originally from Newark, New Jersey—was due to defend his title versus Miguel Marriaga on March 14 in New York City. The bout and the entire ESPN card was instead among the first wave of scheduling casualties due to the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

With the cancellation came an eight-week training camp that was never put to use. Thanks to the efforts of promotional powerhouse Top Rank, Stevenson has been granted the opportunity to top the first boxing event to air live from a U.S. location since March 13.

It will come at a time of civil unrest as the fight continues in everyday life for racial equality and against police brutality.

For now, Stevenson offers his moral support while fully prepared to do his part in the ring.

“When I got home, I’m watching boxing. I’m in camp, so I haven’t been focused on what’s [happening] on the outside,” notes Stevenson. “I’m all locked in as far as what’s going on the inside.”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox