NEWARK: Unbeaten Amer­ican Shakur Steve­nson retained his World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight world title with a methodical unanimous decision victory over Art­em Harutyunyan on Satu­rday in Newark, New Jersey.

Stevenson improved to 22-0 with 10 wins inside the distance, making his first defence of the title he won with a narrow decision over Dominican puncher Edwin De Los Santos last November.

That made Stevenson a three-weight world champion, but it was a lackluster showing from both fighters and Stevenson did little on Saturday to quiet critics demanding more fireworks in his last fight under contract to promoter Top Rank.

After a slow start that left fans at the Prudential Center in Stevenson’s home town restless, Steve­nson began to wear down the German challenger with a series of body shots in the sixth round.

He maintained a measured pace through the 12th, the judges scoring it for the champion 119-109, 118-110 and 116-112.

Harutyunyan, in his first world title bid, fell to 12-2 with seven wins.

On the same card, Brazilian Robson Conce­icao dethroned WBC super featherweight world champion O’Shaquie Foster with a controversial 12-round split decision victory.

Foster’s jaw dropped in stunned consternation as the scores were read out after a fight in which he — and many onlookers — felt he had done enough against an opponent who didn’t appear to land any damaging blows. But two judges saw the bout for Conceicao 116-112 and 115-113, while the third scored it 116-112 for Foster.

“I do think I was actually the winner,” said Conce­icao, a 2016 Olympic gold medallist who improved to 19-2 with one drawn and nine knockouts.

“I tried way more. He didn’t come to fight, he was actually running, running, running, I kept on striking, so I was the winner.”

Foster fell to 22-3 with 12 knockouts.

“I thought it was a shut-out,” Foster said. “I didn’t get touched but with a head-butt. I don’t know, man ... I want a rematch.”

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2024