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Junior Lightweight Showdown: Shakur Stevenson Ready for Toka Kahn Clary

Stevenson-Clary, Felix Verdejo-Masayoshi Nakatani and Edgar Berlanga-Ulises Sierra to air LIVE Saturday on ESPN & ESPN Deportes starting at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
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(Courtesy: Top Rank)

LAS VEGAS (December 10, 2020) — Shakur Stevenson, former featherweight world champion, is ready to add a second world title to his trophy case. First, he must get past Toka Kahn Clary in Saturday’s 10-round junior lightweight main event from the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble. Stevenson-Clary headlines an ESPN-televised tripleheader beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.




The 10-round lightweight co-feature will see Puerto Rican star Felix “El Diamante” Verdejo take on Japanese veteran Masayoshi Nakatani. Super middleweight sensation Edgar Berlanga — 15-0 with 15 first-round knockouts — will seek to extend his streak against veteran Ulises Sierra in an eight-rounder. Sierra, from San Diego, has never been stopped as a pro.

Two days before fight night, they took to the socially distanced stage for the final press conference. This is what they had to say.




Shakur Stevenson

“The short notice for this fight doesn’t bother me. I’m one of those fighters that always stay in shape. This is nothing new to me.”

“The Bubble days feel like the amateur days all over again. There is not a lot of people around you, and you only focus on the fight.”

“I don’t think he is a bad fighter at all. I don’t see him as a bum. I see him as a real test, and I’m ready to put on my best performance to date. I’m one of the best young fighters in the sport. They need to put some respect on my name, and on Saturday, I’m going to show them why.”

Toka Kahn Clary

“This opportunity is a blessing. I’ll be sharing the ring with a former Olympic medalist and with a former world champion. I’m ready to show the world who Toka Kahn is. I’m ready for this level of opposition. We’ve been working hard for this. I’m excited about this fight.”

Felix Verdejo

“Everything has gone very well since I have been training with {Ismael} Salas in Las Vegas. The change has been from heaven to earth. I’ve seen the changes in me. I am in excellent condition.”

“I have confidence in my skills and on the work I have done, but I don’t overlook any opponent.”

Masayoshi Nakatani

“I’m not worried about the long inactivity. I’ve been training hard.”

“Fights outside of Japan, strong punches are important, and I want to focus on that for this fight.”

“Boxing is not fought with height. It is all about the punches, and that’s why I’m coming to knock him out.”

Edgar Berlanga

“I’m 100 percent ready for the fight. Get your popcorn ready.”

“I got to see my idol (Felix Trinidad) in action as I was growing up. When I met him last month in Puerto Rico, we both got very emotional as he was giving me great advice.”

“I don’t dwell on the first-round stuff. If it happens, it happens. I’m ready to go 12 rounds. It doesn’t matter how many rounds we are fighting. Every camp, I prepare to go 12 full rounds”.

Ulises Sierra

“I’ve been in the gym for three months. Tune in. I’m going to slay the ‘Monster.'”

SATURDAY’S CARD

ESPN & ESPN Deportes, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Shakur Stevenson vs. Toka Kahn Clary, 10 rounds, junior lightweight

Felix Verdejo vs. Masayoshi Nakatani, 10 rounds, lightweight

Edgar Berlanga vs. Ulises Sierra, 8 rounds, super middleweight

ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

Clay Collard vs. Quincy LaVallais, 8 rounds, middleweight

Jesse Rodriguez vs. Saul Juarez, 8/6 rounds, light flyweight

Robeisy Ramirez vs. Brandon Valdes, 8/6 rounds, featherweight

Elvis Rodriguez vs. Larry Fryers, 6 rounds, welterweight

Haven Brady Jr. vs. Michael Land, 4 rounds, featherweight

Kasir Goldston vs. Llewelyn McClamy, 4 rounds, welterweight

December 12: Clay Collard and Robeisy Ramirez to Return on Stevenson-Clary Undercard Broadcast LIVE and Exclusively on ESPN+

Collard-Quincy LaVallais 2 and Ramirez-Brandon Valdes to headline undercard stream LIVE on ESPN+ starting at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

LAS VEGAS (December 4, 2020) — Boxing’s breakout cult sensation of 2020, “Cassius” Clay Collard, hopes to close out the year with a little slice of revenge. Collard will fight Quincy “Chico” LaVallais in an eight-round middleweight rematch of their June 2019 draw Saturday, Dec. 12 at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Collard, who is also signed to PFL as an MMA fighter, is 5-0 with three wins over previously undefeated boxers in 2020.

The card will also see the return of two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez, who is set to fight Brandon Valdes in a featherweight bout scheduled for eight or six rounds.




Collard-LaVallais 2, Ramirez-Valdes and additional undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, preceding the ESPN-televised tripleheader (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) headlined by the junior lightweight battle between Shakur Stevenson and Toka Kahn Clary.

“Clay and Robeisy have emerged as Bubble fan favorites, so it is only fitting that they are part of our final show of 2020,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum.

Collard (9-2-3, 4 KOs) entered 2020 with a 4-2-3 record and coming off a TKO loss to light heavyweight phenom Bektemir Melikuziev. Following victories over unbeaten prospects Quashawn Toler (9-0) and Raymond Guajardo (5-0) to start the year, Collard made his Bubble debut June 18 with a decision victory over the 6-0 David Kaminsky. He scored second-round stoppages in his next two Bubble outings and now looks toward Louisiana native LaVallais (9-0-1, 5 KOs), the man who held him to a controversial six-round draw in his fifth pro fight. LaVallais has fought twice since then, notching a pair of first-round knockouts in New Orleans.

Collard and LaVallais were supposed to fight Oct. 17 on the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Teofimo Lopez undercard, but they each tested positive for COVID-19. After that hiccup, the rematch is finally on.

“I’m going to show up with a smile on my face, shake his hand and win this rematch,” Collard said. “I will prove the first fight wasn’t a draw. I’m the ‘0 collector,’ and I’m taking his undefeated record. Simple as that.”

Said LaVallais, “Unfortunately, we both caught COVID in October, but in God’s eyes, everything happens for a reason. I pray that he and his team are healthy, but I hope he’s ready because my ‘0’ is not going anywhere. This is Chico’s world, and he’s just living in it.”

Ramirez (5-1, 3 KOs) seeks his fourth Bubble victory, and sixth overall, since a split decision defeat in his professional debut. Ramirez, 26, has blossomed under the tutelage of noted trainer and countryman Ismael Salas. Valdes (13-1, 7 KOs), from Barranquilla, Colombia, last fought Aug. 14 and lost via unanimous decision to veteran contender Ricardo Espinoza Franco.

In other undercard action:

Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (12-0, 8 KOs) vs. Saul Juarez (25-12-2, 13 KOs)
8/6 Rounds, Light Flyweight
Rodriguez, the 20-year-old southpaw phenom from San Antonio, Texas, had a breakout performance Sept. 5 in The Bubble, knocking out the normally durable Janiel Rivera in the first round. Promoted by Teiken Promotions, Rodriguez has knocked out his last four opponents. Juarez is a two-time world title challenger who has only been knocked out once, courtesy of a left eye injury in his sixth pro fight in 2011.

Haven Brady Jr. (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Michael Land (1-1, 1 KO)
4 Rounds, Featherweight
Former U.S. amateur star Brady, 18, returns following a punishing professional debut that saw him knock out Gorwar Karyah in four rounds. “The Hitman” won gold medals at the Junior Olympics, Eastern Qualifiers and National PAL tournaments prior to signing a professional contract with Top Rank earlier this year. Land, from Dallas, Texas, is coming off a four-round decision loss in July 2019 to the undefeated Francisco Javier Martinez.

Kasir Goldston (1-0) vs. Llewelyn McClamy (2-0, 1 KO)
4 Rounds, Welterweight
The 17-year-old Goldston, a native of Albany, N.Y. made his pro debut Sept. 19 and won a competitive four-round decision over Isaiah Varnell. Goldston won three consecutive National Junior Olympic titles before turning pro under the Top Rank banner. McClamy has only fought twice since turning pro in November 2017.

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