WBC lightweight world champion Shakur Stevenson defends his belt against Artem Harutyunyan in the main event of a Top Rank on ESPN card at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday ( ESPN/ESPN+ at 8:30 p.m. ET, undercard on ESPN+ at 6:10 p.m. ET ).
Stevenson (21-0, 10 KOs), of Newark, is a three-division champion. He won the then vacant WBC title by outpointing Edwin De Los Santos in a close fight in November at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. While it wasn't the performance he wanted, Stevenson won by scorecards of 116-112, 116-112 and 115-113.
Neither Stevenson or De Los Santos landed double-digit punches in any of the 12 rounds. De Los Santos didn't want to engaged and Stevenson failed to take the initiative. The result: Stevenson landed only 19 power punches in 12 rounds, and De Los Santos just 14.
Stevenson's deal with promoter Top Rank expires after the fight, and he will become a free agent. There will be an extra incentive for Stevenson to perform well if he wants to sign another lucrative contract.
"It feels good to be going back home to Newark, where they appreciate a young legend, and to make my first title defense at 135," Stevenson said when the fight was announced in early May.
Harutyunyan (12-1, 7 KOs), of Yerevan, Armenia, but now fighting out of Germany, has never fought for a major world title. His first fight outside of Germany was a unanimous decision loss to Frank Martin in Las Vegas in July 2023. Harutyunyan has only fought twice in 12-round fights, and he's a big underdog at -1200. But he's confident he can score an upset.
"I respect Shakur Stevenson as a champion, but I'm coming to shock his hometown fans and win the WBC lightweight championship," Harutyunyan said. "This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I will take full advantage of it."
Where can I watch the Stevenson-Harutyunyan fight card Saturday?
The Stevenson-Harutyunyan fight card includes four fights and starts at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+ .
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How do I stream the fights?
The fights will be available to stream on mobile devices using the ESPN App .
The undercard begins at 6:10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Watch the undercard live on ESPN+ on the ESPN App
The full card:
Main card:
- Title fight: Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan, 12 rounds, for Stevenson's WBC lightweight title
- Title fight: O'Shaquie Foster vs. Robson Conceicao, 12 rounds, for Foster's WBC junior lightweight title
- Keyshawn Davis vs. Miguel Madueno, 10 rounds, lightweights
- Abdullah Mason vs. Luis Lebron, 8 rounds, lightweights
Undercard:
- William Foster III vs. Eridson Garcia, 10 rounds, junior lightweights
- Keith Colon vs. Hunter Turbyfill, 4 rounds, featherweights
- Kelvin Davis vs. Kevin Johnson, 8 rounds, welterweights
- Ali Feliz vs. Robinson Perez, 4 rounds, heavyweights
What other fight cards are happening this weekend and where can I watch them?
Saturday, July 6 in Anaheim, California (DAZN pay-per-view)
- Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal, 10 rounds, light heavyweights
- Daniel Jacobs vs. Shane Mosley Jr., 10 rounds, super middleweights
- Chris Avila vs. Anthony Pettis, 6 rounds, light heavyweights
- Devin Cushing vs. Manuel Correa, 10 rounds, lightweights
- Amado Vargas vs. Sean Garcia, 8 rounds, lightweights
Saturday, July 6 in Ontario, California (DAZN)
- William Zepeda vs. Giovanni Cabrera, 12 rounds, lightweights
- Ricardo Sandoval vs. Angel Acosta, 10 rounds, flyweights
- Alex Martin vs. Pedro Campa, 10 rounds, junior welterweights
- Manuel Flores vs. Nohel Arambulet, 10 rounds, junior featherweights
- Japhethlee Llamido vs. Ryan Lee Allen, 8 rounds, junior featherweights
- Joel Iriarte vs. Yainel Alvarez, 6 rounds, welterweights
- Joshua Garcia vs. Jason Buenaobra, 6 rounds, junior lightweights
- Gael Cabrera vs. Mychaquell Shields, 6 rounds, junior featherweights
- Daniel Luna vs. Joseph Walker, 4 rounds, junior lightweights
For all the other main fight cards in boxing, please visit the ESPN boxing schedule .
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