Shakur Stevenson’s Title Defense Canceled as Floyd Schofield Falls Ill

The highly anticipated WBC lightweight title defense by Shakur Stevenson has been unexpectedly canceled. His opponent, Floyd Schofield, has reportedly fallen ill during the fight week preparations in Riyadh. Concerns arose when Schofield failed to appear at the grand arrivals event for the upcoming ‘Last Crescendo’ card.

Initial speculations suggested weight-cutting issues, but the situation quickly evolved into more complex rumors. Unconfirmed reports circulated about potential poisoning, with Schofield’s social media account mentioning suspicious creams and a masseuse. The possibility of finding a last-minute replacement for such a high-profile match seems unlikely.

Stevenson, boasting an undefeated record of 22-0 with 10 knockouts, last competed in July, securing a points victory against Artem Harutyunyan in Newark. The talented southpaw has been positioning himself for a potential showdown with Gervonta Davis in the lightweight division, aiming to establish himself as the next prominent American boxing star following Terence Crawford.

Schofield, also undefeated at 18-0 with 12 knockouts, is a promising prospect promoted by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. However, ‘Kid Austin’ has not yet faced opposition of Stevenson’s caliber. This canceled bout may have been a missed opportunity for Schofield to prove himself at the highest level.

In his most recent fight, Schofield faced a significant challenge, being knocked down in the eleventh round by Rene Tellez Giron before securing a unanimous decision victory in Las Vegas. Many observers viewed this as a warning sign regarding Schofield’s readiness to compete against an elite fighter like Stevenson.