Sparring partner Kevin Johnson says Shakur Stevenson will be in trouble if he breaks his surgically repaired right hand in his fight against Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield on February 22 in Riyadh.
Johnson expects Stevenson to win if he is healthy, but he may lose if he injures his right hand again during the fight against the 22-year-old Schofield. He says Floyd was attacking the one-armed Shakur and hitting him with punches. Shakur's fragile hands are key to this fight. If they hold on, he wins. A collapse in this area leaves him easy prey for the tiger shark, Kid Austin.
Pick & play problem
Unlike Edwin De Los Santos, Kid Austin will be relentless against the injured Shakur. It would be that way anyway, but it would be much worse.
Stevenson couldn't Pick and run His way to victory, as he did against de los Santos, was because Floyd was chasing him and punishing him with strong blows. He doesn't hit as hard as De Los Santos, but he hits close enough to do damage. Shakur should have lost that fight if Edwin had cut the ring better and shown more courage in his throws when he got caught.
WBC lightweight champion Shakur (22-0, 10 KOs) has not fought since he was injured while training for the fight against Joe Cordina on October 12. He had hand surgery and began practice last week to defend against Schofield (18-0, 12 KO).
“I feel like Shakur's hand is healthy just because 'Kid Austin' is stepping up. He's going to bring you a fight, but it's going to be a sloppy fight,” Kevin Johnson said. Fighthypechoosing WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson over Floyd “Kid” Austin Schofield on February 22 if Shakur's surgically repaired right hand did not collapse.
“He (Scofield) doesn't know what to stand for. He's suddenly orthodox and a southern gentleman. Not only that. He throws wide punches. This is the style that was designed for Shakur Stevenson. It's like, 'I'm going to tag you with all these hard punches and moves What you're doing now.”
“You open up your body with your switching. I feel like Shakur is going to win this. Now, his hand injury. If you take his hand off him and he's one-handed, it's going to be tough. Even though his defense is good, you have Just one hand.”
If Shakur is healthy, he'll win a boring 12-round decision using his decision Hit-and-run styleBut it won't be easy. Kid Austin will hit him hard and attack him nonstop. It'll make Stevenson look bad regardless.
Austin's aggression
It is good for him that the fight is in Riyadh and not in the United States because he will be booed anywhere. Shakur is not built physically or mentally for the lightweight division. He is shy and fragile In both fields. Taking on a younger, gritty fighter with power will be tough for Stevenson.
“You might lose that hand to set up shots and hooks to the body or whatever the case may be. Kid Austin is going to come forward with a punch. So, he's going to overwhelm you with all those punches while you're trying to get out there and try to hit him with one good shot. You can't use your other hand,” Johnson said. “You are limited.”
