WBO super featherweight champion Jamel ‘Semper Fi’ Herring 23-2 (11) will make the fourth defence of his world title against undefeated former WBO featherweight champion Shakur ‘Fearless’ Stevenson 16-0 (8) at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on October 23.
The 35-year-old southpaw from Cincinnati, Ohio won the title against well credentialed Japanese boxer Masayuki Ito 27-3-1 (15) by unanimous decision at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida in May 2019.
Victories over Lamont Roach 21-1 (9) and Jonathan Oquendo 31-7 (19) followed ahead of his dominant sixth-round knockout win over former two-weight world champion Carl ‘The Jackal’ Frampton 28-3 (16) in Dubai in April.
“2021 has been good to me so far. I started the year with a big fight and a major win over Frampton,” Herring said.
“I look forward to finishing out the year the same way I started it, not only with another huge victory, but as a world champion.
“I have nothing else to say. I’m focused on October 23 and the fourth title defence of my WBO belt.”
Southpaw Stevenson, 24, is one of the emerging stars of the lighter weight classes. He won the vacant WBO 126-pound strap with a near shutout victory over previously undefeated Los Angelan Joet Gonzalez 24-1 (14) Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Reno, Nevada in October 2019 before moving up in weight.
The Newark, New Jersey product has won three bouts on the trot in his new weight class. Puerto Rican Felix Caraballo 13-3 (9) fell in six at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada in June last year.
Rhode Island’s Toka Kahn Clary 28-3 (19) went the 10-round distance with Stevenson at the same venue last December. This past June Namibian Jeremia Nakathila 21-2 (17) was outpointed over 12 frames at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Stevenson is yet to lose a round at super featherweight.
“Jamel had to fight me or he would’ve been stripped of his world title,” Stevenson said.
“I boxed him into a corner and I am going to take his world title in devastating fashion on October 23.
“I can’t wait to fight in front of the amazing fans in Atlanta. Trust me, you are going to see a show and I will become a two-weight world champion.”
The main event will be supported by Muhammad Ali’s grandson Nico Ali Walsh 1-0 (1) in his second pro bout, US Olympic silver medallist Duke Ragan 4-0 (1) in a six-round featherweight bout and Ragan’s Olympic teammate Troy Isley 2-0 (1) in a six-rounder at middleweight.
Georgia native Haven Brady Jr 3-0 (3) will feature in a four-round featherweight tilt while junior middleweight prospect Evan ‘Yung Holy’ Holyfield 7-0 (5), an Atlanta native and the son of heavyweight legend Evander Holyfield, will also box on the card.
“We are thrilled to be back in Atlanta with a spectacular card headlined by a junior lightweight championship grudge match between a veteran champion and one of the sport’s supreme young talents,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum.
“And with names like Ali Walsh, Ragan and Isley on the undercard, Atlanta’s great fight fans will see many of the sport’s most promising up-and-comers.”