Dominican southpaw Edwin De Los Santos 16-1 (14) is solely focused on Shakur ‘Fearless’ Stevenson 20-0 (10) ahead of their clash for the vacant WBC lightweight title at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 16.
The 24-year-old is on a three-fight win streak following his lone loss to then-undefeated William Foster III 16-1 (10) by split decision over eight frames in January last year.
Back in July he scored a virtual shutout over 10 rounds against Joseph Adorno 18-3-2 (15) in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
In 2022 he handed Luis Acosta 13-2 (12) and Jose Valenzuela 12-2 (8) the first defeats of their career. Both victories came by way of knockout.
De Los Santos is looking to keep his hot streak going against the uber-talented Stevenson, who is being touted as a future pound-for-pound star.
“This is the most difficult and important challenge of my career. Winning this fight will change my life forever. I know Shakur is a great champion,” De Los Santos said.
“I understand I will need my entire arsenal to defeat him. It is a huge challenge, but not impossible.
“I am extremely focused on being crowned world champion and giving a world title to the Dominican Republic.
“A victory over Shakur would go down as one of the greatest in the history of Dominican boxing. That motivates me much more.”
Meanwhile, Newark, New Jersey’s Stevenson is already discussing potential future opponents. One name on his hit list is former three-weight world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko 17-3 (11). The 35-year-old Ukrainian southpaw has been linked to a fight against former WBA, WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine lightweight champion George ‘Ferocious’ Kambosos Jr 21-2 (10).
Stevenson sees the 30-year-old Australian as an easy mark for Lomachenko.
“I think some weak ass shit if you ask me, but I can’t do shit about it. Hopefully after I get this belt, he ain’t got a belt and he want to get my belt,” the 26-year-old southpaw said to FightHype.
“I don’t see it going on and on and I don’t get a chance to fight him. Honestly, I think me and him could be next. Unless he really does go with George Kambosos, but I don’t see Lomachenko as a guy that want to fight an easy fight like Kambosos.”
It’s not the first time Stevenson has stepped to Kambosos. After Kambosos’ hotly disputed majority decision win over Maxi Hughes 26-6-2 (5) in July, Stevenson confronted him at ringside.
“If they don’t fight me, we can make it happen,” Stevenson said when Kambosos suggested he fight Devin Haney 30-0 (15). “And I’m gonna stop you. I promise y’all I’m gonna stop you. I’m gonna beat the shit out of you bro. Look at how little [you are.] Tiny. I’m on weight right now… I’m not Teo.”
But Stevenson walked back those comments in a post on his Twitter account: “With all due respect to dude he not on my level. I want the top dawgs. He a pup, it ain’t no point of entertaining that. We just ran into each that’s all.”
