Fighting in his hometown of New Jersey, boxing phenom Shakur Stevenson is chasing gold in another division. The 25-year-old faces Shuichiro Yoshino in a WBC lightweight title eliminator at the Prudential Center on April 8.
A silver medalist in the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Stevenson won the vacant WBO featherweight title at the expense of Joet Gonzalez (UD 12) in 2019. Two years later, the rapid-fire southpaw won the interim WBO junior lightweight title by defeating Jeremiah Nakathila (UD 12), then dethroned Jamel Herring (TKO 10) to become full champion.
Stevenson beat Oscar Valdez (UD 12) for the WBC and Ring Magazine belts but was stripped for failing to make weight prior to his unanimous decision win over Robson Conceicao in September.
Now, Stevenson hopes to become a three-division champion in a lightweight division that includes Devin Haney, Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia, and Vasiliy Lomachenko.
Sign up to watch Shakur Stevenson vs. Shuichiro Yoshino, exclusively on ESPN+
“I am taking over the lightweight division, and my run will start on April 8 in Newark. Shuichiro Yoshino is an undefeated fighter who was willing to step up and fight me when so many fighters were scared,” Stevenson said. “My last fight at the Prudential Center (Conceicao) was just the start of what I’m building in Jersey. We are going to pack the Prudential Center again and show the world who the future of boxing really is.”
Yoshino turned pro in 2015 and won local lightweight gold in Japan in his sixth outing. He is currently on a three-fight knockout streak, with his most recent bout taking place in November against Masayoshi Nakatani (KO 6). This will be the 31-year-old's first time fighting outside of Japan.
"I am very honored to be fighting in the U.S. for the first time. I'm extremely focused and motivated,” Yoshino said. “I'm looking forward to fighting the great two-division champion Shakur Stevenson in his hometown of Newark. I'll be training hard leading up to the fight and look forward to showing the fans an exciting victory!”
Here is all you need to know ahead of Stevenson vs. Yoshino, from time, channel, odds, card, and more.
When is Shakur Stevenson vs. Shuichiro Yoshino?
- Date: Saturday, April 8 | Sunday, April 9
- Start time: 10 p.m. ET | 2 a.m. GMT | 1 p.m. AEDT
- Main event: 12 a.m. ET | 2 a.m. GMT | 1 p.m. AEDT (approx.)
Stevenson vs. Yoshino takes place on April 8. The main card starts at 10 p.m. ET | 2 a.m. GMT | 1 p.m. AEDT, while both fighters should make their way to the ring around 12 a.m. ET | 2 a.m. GMT | 1 p.m. AEDT, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
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How to watch Shakur Stevenson vs. Shuichiro Yoshino
| Country | Date | Channel + Live Stream (main card) |
| United States | Sat. April 8 | ESPN+ |
| United Kingdom | Sun. April 9 | Sky Sports |
| Australia | Sun. April 9 | TBA |
The Stevenson vs. Yoshino main card will air on ESPN and ESPN+ in the U.S. The undercard will be airing exclusively on ESPN+.
In the U.K., the fight will air on Sky Sports.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Shuichiro Yoshino price: How much does the card cost?
You can pay $9.99 for a monthly subscription to ESPN+ or buy an annual subscription for $99.99.
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $9.99/month |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $99.99/year |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $13.99/month |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $19.99/month |
MORE: Sign up to watch Shakur Stevenson vs. Shuichiro Yoshino, exclusively on ESPN+
Where is Shakur Stevenson vs. Shuichiro Yoshino?
Stevenson vs. Yoshino will take place inside New Jersey's Prudential Center. The arena, home of the New Jersey Devils, can hold up to 19,500 people.
How much do tickets for Shakur Stevenson vs. Shuichiro Yoshino cost?
Tickets start at $62 per Ticket Smarter.
Prices then range from $70, $80, $90, $100, $200, $300, $400, $500, $600, $700, $800, and $2,093.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Shuichiro Yoshino betting odds
Per Caesars, Shakur Stevenson is the -1400 favorite, while Shuichiro Yoshino is the +800 underdog.
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In Canada, per Sports Interaction, Shakur Stevenson is the -1701 favorite, while Shuichiro Yoshino is the +705 underdog.
Shakur Stevenson record and bio
- Nationality: American
- Born: June 28, 1997
- Height: 5-8
- Reach: 68 inches
- Total fights: 19
- Record: 19-0 with nine wins via knockout
Shuichiro Yoshino record and bio
- Nationality: Japanese
- Born: September 28, 1991
- Height: 5-9
- Reach: 68 inches
- Total Fights: 16
- Record: 16-0 with 12 wins via knockout
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Shakur Stevenson vs. Shuichiro Yoshino fight card
- Shakur Stevenson vs. Shuichiro Yoshino; Lightweights
- Jared Anderson vs. George Arias; Heavyweights
- Keyshawn Davis vs. Anthony Yigit; Lightweights