Last September, Shakur Stevenson lost his world super featherweight titles, not by losing, but by missing weight for his fight with Robson Conceicao.
Even without his belts, Stevenson still showed he is the best super featherweight in the fight game by dispatching Conceicao by unanimous decision in their bout at the Prudential Center in Stevenson’s hometown of Newark, New Jersey.
With the super featherweight division conquered, Stevenson now makes his return to the ring tonight for a lightweight bout, and he will look to triumph once again in his hometown arena. His step up will see him face off with Shuichiro Yoshino.
Will Stevenson take his record to 20-0, or will Yoshino pull the stunner to maintain his own perfect record? Read on for our Shakur Stevenson vs Shuichiro Yoshino prediction, as well as our betting picks for this matchup.
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Shakur Stevenson vs Shuichiro Yoshino Odds
Odds are via BetOnline as of Saturday, April 8, 2023.
Moneyline
- Shakur Stevenson -1800
- Shuichiro Yoshino +900
Method of Victory
- Stevenson by points or decision -220
- Stevenson by KO/TKO +250
- Draw +2600
- Yoshino by points or decision +2000
- Yoshino by KO/TKO +1300
While this is a step up in weight class for Stevenson, this is Yoshino’s first professional fight outside Japan.
The 31-year-old’s most recent fight was on November 1 of last year against Masayoshi Nakatani, an experienced fighter with fights against notable names like Teofimo Lopez and Vasiliy Lomachenko on his record.
Nakatani lost to Lopez by unanimous decision and suffered a ninth-round TKO loss to Lomachenko, but he was downed by knockout in the sixth round against Yoshino, the 12th such result for Yoshino in his professional career.
That outcome has the shortest method of victory odds if you are thinking Yoshino could do the unexpected, but Stevenson will present a much more difficult challenge than Nakatani.
There isn’t a lot of value in backing Stevenson to win by points or decision, even though that would seem to be the most likely outcome here. Stevenson has nine KOs in his career, but only one of his last five wins has come that way, his title-winning tenth-round TKO win over Jamal Herring in October of 2021.
As it is his first fight on this level, Stevenson may want to really impress, especially against a guy who is known for his knockouts. Knocking Stevenson out is Yoshino’s best path to a win, but going for a KO could also set him up for one.
So, if you are feeling adventurous, feel free to back Stevenson to win via KO/TKO. However, the best bet, even though there isn’t a ton of value in it, is to back Stevenson to win the way he has most of the time in recent fights.
Shakur Stevenson vs Shuichiro Yoshino Prediction and Picks
Prediction for Stevenson vs Yoshino: Stevenson to win
Picks for Stevenson vs Yoshino: Stevenson to win on points or decision (Best Value: BetOnline)