Rising Star with 80% KO Ratio Says He Has the Key to Beat Shakur Stevenson Undefeated southpaw Shakur Stevenson, who became super-lightweight world champion in January, faces a potential challenge from rising contender Emiliano Vargas, who claims to understand how to defeat the Newark fighter. Stevenson secured the WBO super-lightweight title by outpointing Teofimo Lopez in a world-class performance, marking his rise as a four-division world champion. However, his plans to return to lightweight were disrupted when he was stripped of his WBC 135lb title. Despite rumors of a potential welterweight move to face Ryan Garcia or Conor Benn, those matchups have shifted, with Garcia and Benn set to meet instead. Stevenson remains at super-lightweight for now. Vargas, a 21-year-old ranked #5 contender in the WBO, spoke to Ring Magazine about Stevenson’s vulnerabilities. He acknowledged Stevenson’s excellence in his recent fight against Lopez but emphasized a specific weakness. “Shakur looked amazing in his last fight, he honestly surprised me and a lot of other people so I give my kudos to him,” Vargas said. He noted that Stevenson’s strategy of keeping opponents at a distance leaves him exposed to body shots. “Shakur even said it himself, that he got hit with a body shot one time and he wanted to throw up. I have been hit to the body before and it doesn’t feel good. So, I think that no fighters like body shots.” Vargas believes targeting Stevenson’s body could exploit his defensive approach, which has been effective against some opponents. His comments suggest a potential future matchup, though the timing remains unclear. As the WBO’s #5 contender, Vargas could be given a title shot if Stevenson’s reign continues.#wbo #shakur_stevenson #emiliano_vargas #ring_magazine #newark
