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 predicts a win for Stevenson if he is healthy, but he could lose if he re-injures his right hand during the fight against the 22-year-old Schofield. He says Floyd would attack the one-armed Shakur and “overwhelm” him with punches. Shakur’s brittle hands are the key to this fight. If they hold, he wins. A collapse in this area leaves him easy prey for the tiger shark, ‘Kid Austin’.
The Peck & Run Problem
Unlike Edwin De Los Santos, ‘Kid Austin’ would be relentless against an injured Shakur. He will be like that anyway, but it will be much worse.
Stevenson could not pick and run his way to victory like he did against De Los Santos as Floyd would track him down and punish him with power shots. 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 cut off the ring better and showed more courage to throw when he did trap him.
WBC lightweight champion Shakur (22-0, 10 KOs) has not fought since injuring his hand for an October 12 fight against Joe Cordina. He had hand surgery and started training last week for his defense against Schofield (18-0, 12 KOs).
“I feel like with a healthy hand, Shakur has it just because ‘Kid Austin’ comes up. He will bring you a fight, but it will be a sloppy fight,” Kevin Johnson said Battle hypepick a healthy WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson over Floyd ‘Kid’ Austin’ Schofield on February 22 if Shakur’s surgically repaired right hand doesn’t fall apart.
“He (Schofield) doesn’t know what to stand for. He is suddenly orthodox and southpaw. Not only that. He throws wide punches. It’s a style made for Shakur Stevenson. It’s like, ‘I’m going to mark your a*** with all this wild punching and missed footwork you’re doing now.’
“You open up your body with your switch. I feel like Shakur is going to win this hands down. Now, his hand injury. If his hand gives out and he has one hand, it’s going to be difficult. Although his defense is good, you only got one hand,” Johnson said of Stevenson.
If Shakur is healthy, he’ll win a boring 12-round decision using his hit-and-run stylebut it won’t be easy. Kid Austin will hit him hard and attack non-stop. He was going to make Stevenson look bad regardless.
Austin’s aggression
It’s good for him that the fight is in Riyadh rather than the US because he will be booed from anywhere. Shakur was not built physically or mentally for the lightweight division. He is timid and fragile in both areas. Going up against a younger, fearless fighter with power will be difficult for Stevenson.
“You might lose that hand to set up body shots and hooks or whatever the case may be. Kid Austin will come out to beat. So, he will overwhelm you with all these punches while you try to get out there and try to hit him with one good shot. You cannot use your other hand. So, you’re limited,” Johnson said.
