7:51 AM ETMike CoppingerESPN Shakur Stevenson, among boxing’s fastest-rising stars, makes his entryway into the star-studded light-weight department on Saturday in his native Newark, New Jersey, when he handles Japan’s Shuichiro Yoshino in a WBC title remover fight.The bout headings a Top Rank Boxing on ESPN tripleheader (10 p.m. ET) flanked by leading potential customers Jared Anderson, in a step-up heavyweight bout vs. George Arias, and Keyshawn Davis in a light-weight fight against previous title opposition Anthony Yigit.Stevenson, ESPN’s No. 10 pound-for-pound fighter, is presently among the video game’s finest protective fighters. Armed with both an outstanding jab and excellent ring IQ, Stevenson (19-0, 9 KOs) is prepared to end up being a three-division champ following title rules at 126 and 130 pounds.At 135 pounds, Devin Haney guidelines as the department’s indisputable light-weight champ. He’ll protect all 4 titles against Vasiliy Lomachenko on May 20 on ESPN+ PPV, however currently, Top Rank creator Bob Arum is lining up Stevenson for a possible chance at the winner later on this year.Top Rank Boxing is now on ESPN and ESPN+. Subscribe to ESPN+ to get unique boxing occasions, weigh-ins and more.Saturday, 3 a.m. ET on ESPN+: Kenshiro Teraji vs. Anthony Olascuaga, 12 rounds, for Teraji’s WBC and WBA junior flyweight titlesSaturday, 6:55 p.m. ET on ESPN+: Shakur Stevenson vs. Shuichiro Yoshino undercardSaturday, 10 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+: Shakur Stevenson vs. Shuichiro Yoshino, 12 rounds, WBC light-weight title remover “A great deal of individuals are sleeping on Yoshino, however he’s the man that stepped up to the plate when a couple of other people turned the fight down,” Stevenson, 25, informed ESPN on Wednesday. “So, I provide him all the regard worldwide for taking a trip from Japan to my home town. He showed himself against [Masayoshi] Nakatani and [Masayuki] Ito, and he should have the chance to fight [in] a world title remover.”I’m aiming to end up being the leading fighter at light-weight. The department is packed today, and I’m concerning knock off anybody who remains in my method.”In Yoshino (16-0, 12 KOs), Stevenson will deal with a rugged puncher coming off a sixth-round KO of light-weight gatekeeper Nakatani, a career-best win. The 31-year-old, who has actually displayed his power just recently, accepted the task after George Kambosos and Isaac Cruz missed the WBC title remover.Besides Stevenson-Yoshino, there are 5 other battles with title ramifications to have a look at Saturday throughout numerous platforms. Here’s a take on why you ought to enjoy these battles and what to anticipate: Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez vs. Cristian Gonzalez for the uninhabited WBO flyweight titleJesse “Bam” Rodriguez is simply 23 and among the most gifted fighters in boxing, however he’s currently a junior bantamweight champ moving down to flyweight to try to find a belt in a 2nd department. Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated through Getty ImagesRodriguez, 23, broke out in 2015 with amazing success over previous champs Carlos Cuadras and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai. Rodriguez held the WBC title at 115 pounds, however he was really the secondary champ with Juan Francisco Estrada, the owner of the franchise title.”Bam” now goes back to 112 pounds, where he’ll chase his very first full-fledged world title Saturday in San Antonio against Gonzalez, of Mexico. With an anticipated success — “Bam” is a -2200 preferred according to Caesars Sportsbook– Rodriguez will be lined up for a prospective flyweight title marriage fight against IBF champ Sunny Edwards.Rodriguez and Edwards are both lined up with Eddie Hearn after Matchroom Boxing revealed the finalizing of the Englishman on Friday. There’s likewise a prospective fight against Julio Cesar Martinez, the WBC champ, likewise promoted by Matchroom.Kenshiro Teraji vs. Anthony Olascuaga for Teraji’s WBC and WBA junior flyweight titlesKenshiro Teraji, left, the WBC and WBA junior flyweight champ, is currently a star in his nation of Japan. He protects his titles against Anthony Olascuaga on Saturday. Naoki FukudaIf you truly wish to take in as much boxing as possible on this stacked Saturday, begin your day at 3 a.m. (ET) with some battles from Japan.Editor’s Picks1 RelatedTeraji, ESPN’s No. 1 fighter at 108 pounds, was slated to fight WBO titleholder Jonathan Gonzalez in a three-belt marriage prior to the Puerto Rican fighter withdrew recently due to the fact that of a health problem. Olascuaga, who has actually combated just 5 times in the pros, accepted the title fight on brief notification.Japan’s Teraji scored a career-best success in November when he stopped Hiroto Kyoguchi in a title marriage.The Teraji-Olascuaga fight will be streamed at 3 a.m. ET on ESPN+ from Tokyo. Teraji is ESPN’s No. 1 fighter at 108 pounds. Olascuaga, who combats out of Los Angeles, is a 112-pounder who has actually never ever contended at 108.And while Olascuaga may appear to be in over his head, Teraji has rapidly end up being a must-see fighter.Murodjon Akhmadaliev vs. Marlon Tapales for Akhmadaliev’s WBA and IBF junior featherweight titlesMurodjon Akhmadaliev will make the 4th defense of his WBA and IBF junior featherweight titles. Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire through Getty ImagesAkhmadaliev, an Olympic bronze medalist from Uzbekistan, will protect his 2 122-pound titles for the 4th time against the Philippines’ Tapales on the DAZN undercard of Rodriguez-Gonzalez. Like every other fight on this list, there’s a long-shot underdog battling against a recognized name, producing intrigue.Akhmadaliev is ESPN’s No. 2 fighter at 122 pounds and is poised to satisfy the winner of the July 25 bout in between Stephen Fulton and Naoya Inoue. That match would crown an undeniable junior featherweight champ. Will Akhmadaliev take Tapales seriously or be sidetracked by looking ahead at the larger fight?Akhmadaliev is coming off a 12th-round TKO win over Ronny Rios in June. He’s among the greatest punchers in the lower departments. His career-best win can be found in 2020 when he outpointed Daniel Roman to win his 2 belts.Sebastian Fundora vs. Brian Mendoza for Fundora’s WBC interim junior middleweight titleSebastian Fundora, right, protects his WBC interim junior middleweight title against Brian Mendoza. Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty ImagesFundora, called “The Towering Inferno” for his 6-foot-6 frame at 154 pounds, has among the greatest size benefits in boxing.The 25-year-old provides punches from uncomfortable angles and showed his nerve in a fight-of-the-year prospect success over Erickson Lubin last April. Fundora made it through a knockdown because contest to stop Lubin in Round 9 in a career-best success.Now ranked No. 2 at junior middleweight, Fundora isn’t yet a champ. But with his interim title, he’s lined up for a future chance at the winner of the rescheduled bout in between Jermell Charlo and Tim Tszyu for the indisputable junior middleweight champion.Mendoza is a significant underdog, however he is coming off the greatest win of his profession, an amazing fifth-round KO of previous champ Jeison Rosario in November.Takuma Inoue vs. Liborio Solis for the uninhabited WBA bantamweight titleTakuma Inoue, left, deals with Liborio Solis for the uninhabited WBA bantamweight title. Etsuo Hara/Getty ImagesOn the undercard of Teraji-Olascuaga, Takuma Inoue will compete for among the 4 titles abandoned by his older sibling, Japanese star Naoya Inoue. And no, Takuma isn’t from another location in the world of “The Monster,” his sibling who is ESPN’s No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter, however he is a capable bantamweight simply outside the leading 10.In his only previous title quote, Inoue, 27, was routed by Nordine Oubaali in 2019 in what stays the only loss of his profession. That was likewise Inoue’s just fight on the first-rate level.Now, Takuma will have another chance to include himself and Naoya to the list of world-champion bros, signing up with the Ruelas, Klitschkos, Marquezes and Charlos, to name a few.Solis, a Venezuelan, was not successful in 3 previous title difficulties. At 41, this 4th title fracture is most likely his last.
