Shakur Stevenson returns to the ring for his second fight of 2020, as he faces Toka Kahn Clary in the main event of a Top Rank card at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas on Saturday.
After winning the vacant WBO featherweight world title in October 2019, Stevenson (14-0, 8 KOs) moved up in weight looking for bigger challenges at junior lightweight. Stevenson headlined boxing’s return to action in June, as he defeated Felix Caraballo by sixth-round TKO. The clash with Kahn Clary is a battle of southpaws as Stevenson seeks out lofty goals for 2021 and looks to challenge for a 130-pound world title.
Kahn Clary (28-2, 19 KOs) has won three consecutive fights since losing a decision to Kid Galahad in 2018, including a TKO victory over Jonathan Perez in October.
In a very entertaining co-main event, at least on paper, Felix Verdejo takes on Masayoshi Nakatani in a 10-round lightweight bout. Verdejo (27-1, 17 KOs) was on his way up and was considered the best Puerto Rican prospect since four-division champion Miguel Cotto, but Verdejo suffered a motorcycle accident in August 2016 that derailed his career for a few months. Verdejo is 5-1 since then, including an impressive first-round TKO of Will Madera in July that reminded the boxing world of his speed and power.
Nakatani (18-1, 12 KOs) made his U.S. debut in July 2019 in a decision loss to Teofimo Lopez. Nakatani gave Lopez trouble throughout the fight, but ended up losing on the judges’ scorecards.
Super middleweight sensation Edgar Berlanga (15-0, 15 KOs) will try to continue his first-round KO streak against Ulises Sierra (15-1-2, 9 KOs) in a fight scheduled for eight rounds. All of Berlanga’s KO victories have come in the first round.
Also on the card, MMA fighter turned boxer Clay Collard (9-2-3, 4 KOs) goes for his sixth victory of 2020 in as many fights against Quincy LaVallais (9-0-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-round middleweight clash.
Stay here for live undercard results and analysis.
Fight in progress: Haven Brady Jr. vs. Michael Land, 4 rounds, featherweights
Goldston earns first career KO over McClamy
Kasir Goldston didn’t wait too long to pick up his first career knockout. Less than two rounds into his second pro fight, the 17-year-old welterweight prospect knocked Llewelyn McClamy (2-1, 1 KO) down twice in under a minute in the second round to finish off the fight. Goldston (2-0, 1 KO) first dropped McClamy with a couple of left hands to McClamy’s head, and then moments later scored the second, decisive knockdown with a flurry of punches. It led to a technical knockout at 1:35 into the second round.
Goldston was the more aggressive fighter throughout the bout, consistently moving around the ring and forcing McClamy to take a defensive approach from the opening minute of the first round. McClamy showed one brief bout of productivity early in the second round, but it didn’t last as Goldston reasserted control moments later.
Still to come:
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Shakur Stevenson vs. Toka Khan Clary, 10 rounds, junior lightweights
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Felix Verdejo vs. Masayoshi Nakatani, 10 rounds, lightweights
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Edgar Berlanga vs. Ulises Sierra, 8 rounds, super middleweights
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Clay Collard vs. Quincy LaVallais, 8 rounds, middleweights
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Robeisy Ramirez vs. Brandon Valdes, 8 rounds, featherweights
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Jesse Rodriguez vs. Saul Juarez, 6 or 8 rounds, junior flyweights