Former two-division champion Shakur Stevenson will square up opposite Edwin De Los Santos at the T Mobile Arena on November 16. A victory will make him a three-division world champion. However, it may not sound as easy as it appears. The Dominican boxer offers a formidable challenge that awaits him. With a heavy bias towards early stoppages, the former might stretch Stevenson’s technical wizardry to its full extent.

Hence, the Newark, New Jersey-born southpaw is not leaving any stone unturned to secure the WBC Lightweight belt. Incidentally, in Edwin De Los Santos, he will face another left-handed boxer. The last time Stevenson fought another southpaw was on October 23, 2021, when he met Jamel Herring for the WBO Super Featherweight title. One of the ways he could confuse Los Santos would be through switch-hitting. It’s a technique mastered to perfection by his mentor, Terence Crawford. To get him into the groove, fighting in an orthodox stance, unbeaten Light Welterweight contender Richardson Hitchins joined.

Shakur Stevenson sharpening the ‘Right’ tools

FightHype shared a short clip early today. Shakur Stevenson, wearing a navy blue t-shirt and brown trunks, could be seen trading blows with Hitchins. While the former head took an orthodox stance, the latter fought as a southpaw, throwing jabs with his right hand.

Hitchins shared the footage in a post from his Instagram handle. He wrote, “I’m sparring southpaw, and @shakurstevenson is sparring Orthodox. We [are] just having fun trying new things, lol. Who’s was better?”

Later, when a reporter asked Shakur Stevenson about Richardson Hitchins’ performance, the former world champion replied, “...uh that’s the best I [have] seen him look um he came down, did a great training camp with me, and uh, we did a lot of rounds, we had him sharp, and he [looks] great.” The reporter further asked whether he was ready for the fight on November 16. Stevenson said, “For sure, I mean, [I’ve] been in there with some of the best 140 Pounders in the world, and um, he definitely beats a lot of people that I…I have been in the ring with….”

The deal he cannot lose

It’s a litmus test for Shakur Stevenson. Last year, after defeating Robson Coceicao, he announced the decision to move up a division. His first match in the 135-pound division took place in April against the Japanese Shuichiro Yoshino. After the win, talks of a fight with Devin Haney intensified, but to no avail. Unhappy with the split that was being offered, Stevenson refused to go with the deal.

Haney, then the undisputed Lightweight champion, later moved up to Light Welterweight to challenge Regis Prograis, thus leaving his WBC belt vacant. The American and the Dominican boxer must end the argument at the T Mobile Arena. But there’s a lot at stake for Shakur Stevenson. A loss will not only derail the campaign to become a three-division champion, but it will also raise doubts about his credibility as one of the upcoming stars of boxing.

Read More: With a Month Left to Face Edwin De Los Santos, Shakur Stevenson Hints at a Potential Fight Against “Awkward” Emanuel Navarrete in the Near Future

Do you think Stevenson would have it easy going against a boxer who has won over 85% of his bouts through knockouts? Please share your views with us in the comments below.

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