Shakur Stevenson next fight: WBO junior lightweight champion set for unification with Oscar Valdez in April

Shakur Stevenson is ready to get back in the ring. The newly crowned WBO junior lightweight champion is set for a massive unification bout on April 30 in Las Vegas when he takes on WBC titleholder Oscar Valdez. Top Rank made the official fight on Thursday.

“Oscar Valdez and Shakur Stevenson are the world’s best junior lightweights. The fans and the fighters demanded this matchup, and we are proud to deliver it live on ESPN for no extra charge,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said in a statement. “The winner becomes a superstar, and I know both men will rise to challenge.”

Stevenson, 24, is coming off a dominant TKO performance against Jamel Herring last October to claim the WBO strap. The pride of Newark, New Jersey, perviously earned the WBO title at featherweight in October 2019 before making the move up in weight.

Can’t get enough boxing and MMA? Get the latest in the world of combat sports from two of the best in the business. Subscribe to Morning Kombat with Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell for the best analysis and in-depth news.

Valdez is undefeated at 30-0 with 23 knockouts in his career. He held the WBO featherweight title from 2016 to 2019 before making the move up and beat some tough opponents along the way, including Miguel Marriaga and Scott Quigg.

“I want to make it clear that I am the best 130-pound fighter in the world,” Valdez said. “We know Shakur Stevenson is very good at fighting, but he’s even better at social media. I’ll let my fists speak for themselves.”