Shakur Stevenson makes his return to the ring on April 8 down in New Jersey but in a brand-new weight class. His first taste at 135 pounds is Shuichiro Yoshino. You’ll want to keep reading to get our complete breakdown of Stevenson vs. Yoshino, plus two free betting picks to make.
Stevenson vs. Yoshino Betting Preview
Let’s face it, all eyes are on Stevenson in this one. The 25-year-old is widely viewed as one of the future darlings of the sport. He’s a perfect 19-0 and has hardly been challenged inside the ring. However, he’s no longer competing at featherweight. Stevenson is fighting at lightweight for the first time and that’s where we begin our preview of the Yoshino matchup.
The last time we saw Stevenson in September, he trounced Robinson Conceicao via unanimous decision. The bigger story, however, happened at weigh-ins. Stevenson tipped the scales heavy and was stripped of WBC, WBO & Ring Magazine as a result.
That forced him to move up to an absolutely-stacked lightweight division. Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney, George Kambosos Jr., Vasily Lomachenko, and Ryan Garcia are all Stevenson’s counterparts at 135 pounds. However, before we can think of any dream matches, Stevenson has to take care of business vs. the Japan-born Yoshino.
Yoshino surely doesn’t have the hype of the other 135-pounders we just mentioned, but he’s not a complete pushover either. Yoshino is ranked No. 5 with the WBC and No. 7 with the WBO. This after accumulating a 16-0 record, all of which in Japan-based bouts.
There’s also a clear clash of styles between Stevenson and Yoshino. The latter is a power puncher with 12 of his 16 wins coming by knockout. Stevenson is the opposite of a power hitter. Instead, he does his damage with elite slickness. Stevenson has only nine KOs over his career. The two are evenly sized, but it’s worth mentioning that Yoshino is six years older.
Best Bets For Stevenson vs. Yoshino
We’re going to be placing two bets on Stevenson vs. Yoshino. Props aren’t available yet so we’ll stick with the classics for now — moneyline and over/under.
Moneyline bet
No one should be surprised by how big of a favorite Stevenson is in this fight. We mean, he’s being compared to Floyd Mayweather for a reason and few people have even heard of Yoshino since he’s never fought in the United States until now. Here are the current moneyline Boxing odds:
We’re not going to pull any punches here and say Stevenson should cruise to victory. For one, his natural abilities can’t be questioned. After an accomplished amateur career, Stevenson has elevated his game even more as a pro. Few fighters can control the ring and then proceed to pick apart opponents quite like he does.
Yoshino does have power to look out for, but it’s not like Stevenson ever gets hit while in the ring. The slick fighter has a Mayweather-like ability to slip punches and dish them right back. There will be no upset here, folks, just bet on Stevenson’s moneyline.
Over/Under bet
While the over/under odds aren’t as one-sided as the moneyline, they’re not exactly value-rich either. The over is the clear betting favorite as seen below:
Historically, Stevenson isn’t a fighter that wants to overpower opponents. His killer trait is instead elusiveness. But we also have to consider he’s now fighting at 135 pounds. This is also Stevenson’s first fight since the weight-miss embarrassment. If there’s ever a fight that Stevenson wants to “bring it”, it might be this one. Oh, and did we mention he’ll be fighting at home in Newark?
We think it might be worth taking a shot on the under here in case Stevenson shows some new-found stopping power against Yoshino. Look, the over is most likely to hit but even if you’re right, you’re making no money with these type of odds. Screw it, give us that +250 line in case Stevenson comes out with something to prove, which he might after a wild few months.
How To Watch Stevenson vs. Yoshino
Stevenson is being promoted by Bob Arum so you know what the deal is: ESPN will air the Stevenson vs. Yoshino showdown. It will be both on TV and its streaming app ESPN+ on Saturday night. Coverage begins at 7 pm EST sharp. Other fights on the card include Jared Anderson vs. George Arias at heavyweight and Keyshawn Davis vs. Anthony Yigit at lightweight.
How To Bet Stevenson vs. Yoshino
To lock in your Stevenson vs. Yoshino bets, hit one of the underneath bookmakers. When it comes to combat sports betting, you can’t go wrong with any of the sites featured below. Each of these sites not only offers a wide array of fight bets but at value-rich odds too.
Pay close attention to the table below. We’ve listed up-to-date sportsbook reviews and also lucrative sign-up bonuses. Both pieces of information should guide your decision on where to bet on this upcoming fight and more down the road.
