Leaked footage of Shakur Stevenson training for his fight against Floyd Schofield in 46 days’ time has shown he still won’t be using his surgically repaired right hand in training for the defense of his WBC lightweight belt on February 22 . He favored his right hand, he did not want to use it, and concentrated on his left.
Unfortunately, this strategy doesn’t work for Stevenson against Schofield. He will be in attack mode from the first round, and if Schofield runs like he did against Edwin De Los Santos, he will chase him like a hungry cat.
The training footage reveals the weakness
The southpaw Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs) is still reduced to using only his left hand, which was the situation in his narrow victory over Edwin De Los Santos in 2023. In the video, Stevenson barely uses his right hand, which show is not trusted. It’s too tender.
If Shakur’s right hand lands on him against Schofield, there’s no way he’s going to be able to stay on the ground and fight this type of fight. He will not be able to keep Floyd with only one hand working for him.
For this fight against the 22-year-old Schofield (18-0, 12 KOs), it’s vital that Shakur, 27, has more than his left hand working for him. This guy can punch, and he will attack him non-stop. That’s how Floyd fights; he and his father know that Shakur is fragile.
“I think Floyd Schofield can fight high, use a lot of pressure, and use that jab (to beat Shakur). The jab is the key to Shakur’s style,” said Oscar De La Hoya to Fight Hub TV.
Shakur’s Added Bulk
Stevenson looks like a middleweight now, having made weight since his last fight against Artem Harutyunyan six months ago on July 6. He will have to gain that weight because he looks like a fat 160 lbs. Stevenson doesn’t look healthy or anything like a professional athlete.
I don’t know what he ate to get so big, but he needs to stop raiding the cookie jar. He looks like an old drummer in a 1960s rock band.
That weight has to come off. Shakur will step away from the kitchen table and control his food if he doesn’t want to be stuck, having to drain to the bone the week of the fight. In any case, he does not have a fighting physique, but he has aggravated it with the six months he has been out of the ring.
In contrast, Schofield looks chiseled and already in fighting shape. He’s young, obviously, but it’s also hard work. He doesn’t sit around eating and watching his videos or posts 24/7 on Twitter.
