Video: Shakur Stevenson stops Jamel Herring to become WBO 130 lbs champion

On Saturday night in Atlanta, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Shakur Stevenson (17-0, 9 KOs) passed the biggest test of his career with flying colors on Saturday night, stopping Jamel Herring (23-3, 11 KOs) in the 10th round to become the new WBO junior lightweight (130 lbs) champion. It’s the second world title of Stevenson’s career, but the previous one was for a vacant belt at 126 lbs so this is the first instance of him dethroning a champ.

Stevenson’s fast hands, sharp combinations, and all-around boxing skill proved too much for a determined but overmatched Herring. Only one judge gave Herring a round, and while Jamel’s best moments came when the fight was on the inside, Shakur proved more than formidable there too.

The stoppage was a bit of a mercy one, as Stevenson wasn’t exactly just bombarding Herring with punches, but Jamel was slowing down and his cut was getting worse so the referee intervened in the 10th.

Watch the highlights below:

This was certainly a high-point for Shakur with extra praise for getting a stoppage after going the distance with vastly inferior opponents in his previous two outings.

Stevenson has his eyes on a unification with WBC champion Oscar Valdez (30-0, 23 KOs), who was more than fortunate to retain his title over Robson Conceicao last month. Both fighters are signed with Top Rank Boxing and it feels like a fight that is worth making.