Shakur Stevenson vs. Oscar Valdez: Live updates, round-by-round scoring, winner

There will be a big super featherweight title fight on Saturday, April 30th. The MGM Grand Garden Arena will play host to a big PPV that will begin at 9 p.m. ET. The main event of the night will feature Shakur Stevenson facing Oscar Valdez for the WBC and WBO Super Featherweight Titles. The ringwalks for the main event are expected to get started around 10:30 p.m. ET, but that is subject to change depending on the length of the bouts preceding it.

Stevenson is a big favorite with -600 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook while Valdez is the underdog installed at +425. Here’s the full card

Prelims (ESPN+, 7:00 pm ET)

• Raymond Muratalla (14-0, 12 KO) TKO-3 Jeremy Hill (16-3, 11 KO)
• Andres Cortes (17-0, 10 KO) TKO-6 Alexis del Bosque (18-6-1, 9 KO)
• Troy Isley (5-0, 3 KO) TKO-2 Anthony Hannah (3-3, 2 KO)
• Abdullah Mason (2-0, 2 KO) TKO-1 against Luciano Ramos (1-3, 0 KO)
• Antoine Cobb and Jaylan Phillips ends in a majority draw

Main Card (ESPN and ESPN+, 10:00 pm ET)

• Oscar Valdez (30-0, 23 KO) vs Shakur Stevenson (17-0, 9 KO), junior lightweights, 12 rounds, for Valdez’s WBC and Stevenson’s WBO titles
• Keyshawn Davis (5-0, 4 KO) TKO-6 Esteban Sanchez (18-2, 8 KO)
• Nico Ali Walsh (5-0, 4 KO) KO-1 Alejandro Ibarra (7-2, 2 KO)

We’ll update with results as they come in.

Update 11:45 p.m. Valdez just entered the ring, and Stevenson is right behind. The crowd is going wild at MGM Grand already, and we should see a good one!

Update 12:45 a.m. Judges Scorecards: 117-110, 118-109, 118-109

Update 12:47 a.m. After the bout, Shakur Stevenson got down on one knee and proposed his girlfriend Lyric, who is also the mother of his daughter.

Shakur Stevenson vs. Oscar Valdez round-by-round results

Round 1: 10-9 Stevenson

As expected, Shakur controlled the ring and used his tremendous hand speed to stay ahead. An easy round, and besides Valdez trying to come forward and actually ending up off balance, a clinic by Stevenson.

Round 2: 10-9 Stevenson

Better from Valdez, who landed more shots than the first round, but still got counter-punched just enough to lose the round. 14-5 on punches landed for Stevenson, so he gets the point.

Round 3: 10-9 Valdez

We know who the better fighter is here already, but Valdez is getting to the body on the regular and is for sure in this fight. That was 15 punches landed in that round, and changing levels to the body with the right was a good decision.

Round 4: 10-9 Stevenson

If this fight is at distance, Stevenson is just teeing off. If they’re within an elbow of each other, it’s Valdez being able to score to the body. But the hand speed of Stevenson was enough to win the round here. Both guys are landing, but not with tremendous power.

Round 5: 10-9 Stevenson

Much better from Stevenson there, who had a counter left that showed both his technical skill and power. Tremendous punch, and it wins the round.

Round 6: 10-8 Stevenson (Knockdown)

More combinations that land from Stevenson, including a right hook from the southpaw that Valdez recovered from comfortably after the ropes held him up for a knockdown. Valdez’s face is showing the wear from the punches and doesn’t seem in trouble, but he’s not really responding to the onslaught and speed either.

Round 7: 10-9 Valdez

A nice recovery from Valdez, who came forward and got inside three separate times and landed. Stevenson’s punches from range just weren’t landing, and he was warned by referee Kenny Bayless for probing.

Round 8: 10-9 Stevenson

Just more of the same from Stevenson, who is controlling the fight from range with his hand speed and ability to stay a moving target. We’ve crossed the Rubicon, and Valdez needs a knockout to win this fight.

Round 9: 10-9 Stevenson

A clinic from the Newark fighter, who displayed all the skills you’d want in a fighter: Power, angles, every punch in the book, and the ability to disappear defensively. He seems to be getting stronger while Valdez is looking for the miracle shot.

Round 10: 10-9 Valdez

Tremendous credit to the Mexican fighter, who keeps coming forward and found a way to win a round. His body shots actually landed, though not with much power, which is better than the jabbing Stevenson hitting gloves.

Round 11: 10-9 Stevenson

More combinations from distance from Stevenson, and we think Valdez will be throwing from the cheap seats for this one. Another technical clinic, and if he finishes the round, Stevenson will be the unified champion at 130 lbs.

Round 12: 10-9 Stevenson

A great fight and round from Stevenson, who starts running away and around the ring with less than 10 seconds remaining because he knew it was over. It’s all over but the score cards, and Shakur Stevenson is the unified WBC and WBO Junior Lightweight champion, and for sure one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

I have it 117-111 Stevenson.