WATCH: Terrible sight as Shakur Stevenson gets booed in hometown and fans leave during fight

Newark’s Prudential Center witnessed an unexpected scene on Saturday night. Boxing fans streamed out during hometown hero Shakur Stevenson‘s fight against Artem Harutyunyan. Boos echoed through the arena as spectators headed for the exits. It wasn’t the homecoming Stevenson had likely envisioned.

The fight, anticipated to be a showcase for Shakur Stevenson, turned into a lesson in crowd disappointment. Stevenson eventually won, with all judges scoring in favor of him. However, boxing fans voted with their feet, apparently unimpressed with how the bout progressed.

The scene drew comparisons to Floyd Mayweather‘s matches. He is known for defensive mastery but faces criticism for being extremely boring. Attendance at the Prudential Center wasn’t very high. Just 8412 people attended, and many left before the fight ended. For reference, the recent UFC 302 in Prudential Centre saw 17,834 people attend the event, more than double this card.

Shakur Stevenson was once touted as a rising star. The fighter from Newark has a record of 22 wins with no losses. However, his propensity for defense rather than offense has dropped his popularity among the masses. Stevenson has only 10 knockouts out of his 22 wins. The recent fight in his hometown showcased the immense drop in popularity for the once highly touted Stevenson.

Shakur Stevenson gets his hand raised against Artem Harutyunyan and calls out top names

Newark’s Prudential Center played host to a boxing clinic Saturday night. Shakur Stevenson faced off against Germany’s Artem Harutyunyan in a lightweight title clash. From the opening bell, Stevenson’s skills were on full display. His jab was laser-precise, keeping Harutyunyan at bay throughout the fight.

Round after round, the story remained the same. Stevenson jabbed, countered, and controlled the distance with ease.  By the midway point, some fans were yearning for more action. This was when several fans started leaving the Prudential Center. Harutyunyan, to his credit, never stopped trying. 

In the later rounds, Stevenson began targeting the body more frequently. The tenth round saw a slight shift. Harutyunyan may have stolen his first round of the night. But it was too little, too late. Stevenson cruised to a unanimous decision victory. This was Stevenson’s return to boxing after initially retiring from the sport.

The champion’s skills were undeniable, but some questioned the entertainment value. The fight raised questions about Stevenson’s future. He’s clearly talented, but will he draw the big fights? Stevenson called out Vasiliy Lomachenko and Gervonta “Tank” Davis post-fight. Even Davis envisions a future fight against the undefeated boxer. As such, only time will tell if it happens or not.

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