WBO champion Shakur Stevenson handed Oscar Valdez the first loss of his career on Saturday night in a junior lightweight championship bout.
Stevenson (18-0, 9 KOs), who won by unanimous decision (117-110, 118-109, 118-109), took Valdez's WBC belt with the victory.
What started out as an even fight through the first five rounds turned into a one-man show after Stevenson took advantage of Valdez's huge gamble with an overhand left that left him in a vulnerable position. Stevenson countered quickly and dropped Valdez with a quick left shot to the temple to seize control of the bout.
Valdez (30-1) wasn't the same after that round, and seemingly lost the poise he started with. Stevenson, conversely, was in control the rest of the way, much to the dismay of the heavily pro-Valdez crowd inside a jam-packed MGM Grand Garden.
When ringside reporter Bernardo Osuna asked Stevenson what was next on his plate, he dropped to one knee and proposed to his girlfriend, rapper Young Lyric. She said yes.
On the main undercard, Nico Ali Walsh (5-0, 4 KOs), the grandson of Muhammad Ali, needed only 2 minutes 50 seconds to knock out Alejandro Ibarra (7-2) in what was supposed to be a four-round middleweight special attraction.
After standing toe-to-toe for much of the round, and continually landing his right hook to Ibarra's head, Ali Walsh set up his outmatched opponent. After feinting with his right hand to open things up, Ali Walsh landed a quick left and a devastating right flush on Ibarra's face for his fourth career knockout.
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