NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 21: Shakur Stevenson poses during the press conference ahead of his WBC and WBO junior lightweight championship fight with Robson Conceição, at Prudential Center on September 21, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images)
When it comes to boxing, it could potentially hurt your career if you don’t make the weight for your matches. Unfortunately, that is the reality for 25-year-old world champion boxer Shakur Stevenson. He is trending after news broke that he failed to make weight today ahead of his fight against Robson Conceicao, and will be stripped of his two 130-pound titles, according to ESPN—per championship fight rules governed by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and World Boxing Council (WBC.)
Shakur weighed 131.6 pounds and had two hours to shed 1.6 pounds but could not lose the excess weight. He shared a message on Twitter in response to losing his titles, saying, “I gave it my all. I’ve been professional my whole career and made weight, but my body just can’t make 130 anymore. My health has to come first. I’m moving up to 135 in my next fight.” He added, “It’s showtime. I’m locked in, regardless. See y’all soon.”
There was a mixture of opinions about Shakur not making his weight. One person tweeted, “Unfortunate to see Shakur Stevenson miss weight at 130, but there are a plethora of way more compelling matchups for him at 135, so YOLO.” Another tweeted, “Sorry Shakur, I can’t defend you this time.”
While many were looking forward to the upcoming match, Shakur’s would-be competitor Robson has an impressive career. He’s an Olympic gold medalist and will be eligible to win the two vacant titles, assuming the fight proceeds as planned. Robson, a 33-year-old hailing from Brazil, weighed 129.6 pounds for the second title opportunity of his career. Roommates, do you think it was fair for Shakur to lose his titles? Drop a comment and let us know!
