Super-skilled WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson scored a dominant 12-round unanimous decision win over Germany’s Artem Harutyunyan at the Prudential Center in Newark on Saturday. The official scores were 119-109, 118-110 and 116-112.
WATCH: Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan, exclusively on ESPN+
Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs) controlled the action from start to finish and turned in an exceptional boxing performance. While the southpaw champion was desperate for a stoppage, he didn’t put a foot wrong through 12 rounds and was levels above.
“He was just trying to make sure he survived,” said Stevenson during his post-fight interview with ESPN+. “He’s a good fighter; tough, strong, but I’d have wanted him to try a little harder and it would have been a fun fight.”
Neither fighter was down nor seriously hurt in the fight. Artem sustained some facial damage, which is no surprise given the amount of clean punches he absorbed. The challenger lasted the distance, but he had next to no success and was continually made to flounder.
For round after round, Stevenson jabbed the head off his opponent and mixed in the odd one-two. By the midway point, the champ was making a real target of the body and he backed his man up more than once with some hard shots that dug deep.
If there's a criticism of Stevenson it’s that he doesn’t open up with multi-punch bursts. He’s a natural counterpuncher and almost suspicious by nature, which means that most of his work comes in singles and doubles. Given that he’s not a knockout artist, his fights will always go long.
The Sporting News gave Artem one round – the tenth – and that may have been charitable. As for the judge who gave the challenger four rounds, all I can say is that Lynne Carter took the night off.
This was Stevenson’s final fight under his Top Rank contract and it looks like he’ll be moving on. Frustrated by what he perceives to be a lack of career momentum, the Newark-born sharpshooter feels he needs new backing to secure a matchup with WBA counterpart Gervonta “Tank” Davis.
“If [Loma and Tank] don’t fight me, I’m just going to stay in the gym and stay ready,” said Stevenson with more than a touch of frustration.
Harutyunyan, 33, falls to 12-2 (7 KOs).
The Sporting News provided live updates, undercard results, and round-by-round coverage for the main event.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan live updates, highlights, and commentary
Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan: SN live scorecard
| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Total |
| Stevenson | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 119 |
| Harutyunyan | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 109 |
Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan live updates, highlights, and commentary
AND STILL THE WBC LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD... SHAKUR STEVENSON. THE OFFICIAL SCORECARDS ARE 119-109, 118-110, 116-112. THE BIGGEST SHOCK IS THAT ONE JUDGE FOUND A WAY TO GIVE ARTEM FOUR ROUNDS. BIZARRE!
Round 12: Shakur pops out the jab with intent. The left hand lands for the champion. The jab again. It's repetitive and it looks like we're going the distance. Solid performance from Stevenson, but perhaps not the statement that he wanted to make. He's a beautiful boxer, though, and his skills are beyond reproach.
SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Stevenson (119-109 Stevenson)
Round 11: Nice left hand by Stevenson. One-two from the champion and switch down to the body. More aggression from Stevenson, but he can't put a serious dent in the challenger. If Shakur wants to get his man out, he'll need to open up with a prolonged assault. More misses from Artem.
SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Stevenson (109-100 Stevenson)
Round 10: Stevenson back to the body with both hands. The nightmare continues for Artem, who cannot get anything done. Body attack from the challenger is ineffective. Stevenson looking bored and the pace has dropped. One-two from Stevenson. Artem works hard in the final minute and MIGHT have edged his first session.
SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Harutyunyan (99-91 Stevenson)
Round 9: The crowd may want a stoppage, but this has been artistry by Stevenson. More missing from the challenger and the single counter lands from Shakur. Four-punch combo ends with two heavy body shots from the champ. Big body shots back Artem up. The challenger opens up and scores some blows to the body, but Stevenson is unflustered. It's a completely one-sided fight.
SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Stevenson (90-81 Stevenson)
Round 8: One-two from Shakur. Artem is getting slower and his punches are very wide. He's even more open to the counterpunching of the champion and that's bad news. Totally confused, the challenger is now retreating. he does not have a clue what to do. Stevenson walking his man down and scoring to head and body.
SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Stevenson (80-72 Stevenson)
Round 7: Stevenson tucking his chin in behind his right shoulder and covering the body with his guard in a Philly shell. Offering no target and banging home the single shots at will. Left hand from Stevenson lands flush. Artem is now reticent to throw for fear of being countered. Two more left hands from Shakur. The challenger is swelling up.
SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Stevenson (70-63 Stevenson)
Round 6: BIG LEFT UPPERCUT by Stevenson. It didn't catch all of Artem, but it was a spectacular punch. Artem misses a combo. Left to the body by the champ and a right hook off of it. Artem complains that a left hand landed low but it looked. Left to the body and the head by Shakur. Artem cannot find the target. Stevenson smiles at the bell.
SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Stevenson (60-54 Stevenson)
Round 5: Wonderful defense by Stevenson who evades half-a-dozen shots effortlessly. The champ pivots well after the attack and stays in range. Left hand by Stevenson, who has now taken ring center. Jab scoring from Shakur. Beautiful one-two and a body shot lands. Artem beginning to look bewildered.
SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Stevenson (50-45 Stevenson)
Round 4: Jab landing well from Shakur, who follows up with a pair of body shots. Left hook to the body from Artem. Stevenson opening up a bit more now and scores with the right hook. Sharp left lead from Stevenson... and a left to the body. Shakur standing right in front of Artem and still untouchable.
SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Stevenson (40-36 Stevenson)
Round 3: Body attack by Artem. Another combination fired by the challenger but Stevenson takes the sting out of the punches. Double jab, left to the body by Stevenson. Two right by Artem backs Stevenson up. Sharp left hand by the champion... and again. Solid one-two from Stevenson. Big left to the body by Shakur. Closer round but Stevenson closed really well.
SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Stevenson (30-27 Stevenson)
Round 2: Nice left hand from Shakur. Glancing left hook from Artem. Plenty of feints and posturing from both fighters but not a lot of punches. Some booing already, which is a little unfair this early. Artem misses a combo and is caught by another left to the body. Shades of the Edwin De Los Santos fight so far.
SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Stevenson (20-18 Stevenson)
Round 1: Stevenson, the southpaw, backing up and matching the challenger with the jab. Artem bouncing in and out of range. Artem misses wildly with a left hook and is countered by a left to the body. Sharp jab by the champ. A relatively tame round is edged by Stevenson.
SN Unofficial Scorecard: 10-9 Stevenson
We now switch to round-by-round coverage for the main event between WBC lightweight champ Shakur Stevenson and Artem Harutyunyan.
WOW!!! AND THE NEW WBC SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION IS ROBSON CONCEICAO (116-112, 115-113, 112-116). THE SPORTING NEWS DID NOT SEE THE SAME FIGHT AS THE JUDGES.
10:49 p.m. ET: Entering the 12th and final round and Foster should be way ahead on points.
10:39 p.m. ET: We're through eight rounds and the pattern remains the same. Foster controlling everything in a ho-hum fight.
10:29 p.m. ET: We're through six rounds and the styles are not gelling in this world title fight. Foster is doing just enough to stay ahead and is conceivably pitching a shutout at this point. Conceicao is struggling to get anything done.
10:18 p.m. ET: We're through four rounds and Foster has settled into a nice rhythm, controlling the action behind an accurate jab and some well-timed counters. Conceicao is a step behind and he'll need to hurt the champion to turn things in his favor. He can't outbox Foster... we know that already. The crowd is getting restless.
10:08 p.m. ET: Tight and tactical opening round, which Foster may have edged with the jab and a whipping left hook at ring center. Conceicao looks sharp and composed.
9:53 p.m. ET: Next up is WBC super featherweight champ O'Shaquie Foster, who defends his title against classy Brazilian Robson Conceicao.
KEYSHAWN DAVIS WINS THE UNANIMOUS DECISION. ALL THREE JUDGES SCORE THE BOUT 99-91, WHICH IS AN ACCURATE REFLECTION OF THE ACTION IN THE RING. MADUENO COVERS HIMSELF IN GLORY WITH A GUTSY AND DETERMINED EFFORT.
9:44 p.m. ET: Davis vs. Maduena goes the full 10-round distance. Keyshawn had ample opportunity to display his skills, but he also had to show fighting heart against a rampaging opponent who was determined to test him. This should be a W I D E decision win for Davis.
9:36 p.m. ET: We head into the ninth round and Keyshawn Davis is way ahead on points. However, the American has been tested and this has been one of his toughest outings. It's been a gutsy effort from Madueno, who has pressed the action from the opening bell.
9:30 p.m. ET: The fighters continue to battle at the end of the sixth and the REFEREE catches a left hand from Madueno. The third man is far from happy and issues a warning to both corners.
9:17 p.m. ET: WOW!!! Davis unloads with a savage multi-punch burst that snaps Madueno's head back in the fourth. Even more stunning is the fact that the Mexican fighter nodded his head and asked for more. Keyshawn going through the gears now.
9:11 p.m. ET: Madueno is not here to make up the numbers and continues to apply the pressure in round two. However, the Mexican fighter is struggling to penetrate Keyshawn's defense and catches some nifty counterpunches on the way in.
9:06 p.m. ET: As one would expect, Davis' hand speed is on another dimension from Madueno's who presses the action and makes things messy up close. Keyshawn was largely in control and there was one memorable one-two to the head.
9:00 p.m. ET: From one terrific lightweight to another as Keyshawn Davis now gets set to stake his unbeaten record against Mexico's Miguel Madueno. The 25-year-old from Norfolk, Virginia, is on his way to the ring now with a HUGE SMILE on his face.
RED-HOT PROSPECT ABDULLAH MASON IMPROVES TO 14-0 (12 KOs) AFTER A DEVASTATING PERFORMANCE OVER LUIS LEBRON. TWO KNOCKDOWNS PRECEDED THE THIRD-ROUND TKO. THE OFFICIAL TIME IS 1:18.
8:49 p.m. ET: IT'S ALL OVER after the first sustained attack by Mason in the third. Electrifying hand speed and impressive variety from the young prospect who becomes the first fighter to score a stoppage win over Lebron.
8:46 p.m. ET: DOWN GOES LEBRON from a hail of punishment in round two. He's up but gets battered to the canvas almost immediately. Mason steps off when his opponent gets up almost reluctantly. This one is close to being over.
8:43 p.m. ET: Excellent opening round from Mason, who controlled the full three minutes behind a rapier right jab from the lefty stance. Lebron attempted to close the distance but was popped on the counter.
8:12 p.m. ET: First up is one of the most exciting prospects in world boxing. New Top Rank signee Abdullah Mason looks to extend his unbeaten record to 14-0 at the expense of Puerto Rico's Luis Lebron.
7:00 p.m. ET: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News' live coverage of the WBC lightweight title fight between champion Shakur Stevenson and challenger Artem Harutyunyan. We're in the countdown to the showdown!
Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan full card results
- Shakur Stevenson (c) def. Artem Harutyunyan via UD 12 (119-109, 118-110, 116-112) for the WBC lightweight title
- O'Shaquie Foster def. Robson Conceicao via UD 12 ( for the WBC super featherweight title
- Keyshawn Davis def. Miguel Madueno via UD 10 (99-91, 99-91, 99-91); Lightweights
- Eridson Garcia def. William Foster III vis UD 10 (99-91, 98-92, 98-92); Super Featherweights
- Kelvin Davis def. Kevin Johnson via MD 8 (78-74-78-74, 76-76); Welterweights
- Abdullah Mason def. Luis Lebron via TKO 3 (1:18); Lightweights
- Ali Feliz def. Robinson Perez via UD 4 (40-36, 40-36, 40-36); Heavyweights