Shakur Stevenson Beats Josh Padley By 9th-Round TKO to Retain WBC Lightweight Title

Shakur Stevenson retained his WBC lightweight title with a ninth-round TKO win over Josh Padley on a stacked championship card from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

The vast gap in skills between the three-division champion and Padley was apparent from the outset.

Stevenson's speed was the most difficult thing for Padley to contend with. Any time he let his hands go he was connecting on three- and four-punch combinations before Padley could fire off a response.

Others were less impressed by Stevenson's lack of aggression...

Regardless, Stevenson did look more aggressive than usual. He initiated exchanges and won them with regularity, although there was plenty of love for Padley's willingness to stand and trade with Stevenson:

A potential hand injury in the middle of the fight did add some intrigue. Stevenson needed a knockout, but appeared to struggle with throwing punches with his power hand.

Stevenson was able to get the fight to a tipping point in the ninth frame, though. His persistent pressure finally cracked Padley as he scored three knockdowns and the towel came out resulting in the TKO.

The win is a testament to Stevenson's skill and ability to adapt, as he fought the previously unbeaten Padley on just three days' notice. The 27-year-old was supposed to fight Floyd Schofield Jr., but that fight fell through when Schofield withdrew due to illness. 

With Schofield out of the picture, Padley was tabbed as a last-minute replacement. The English electrician was coming off an upset victory over Mark Chamberlain, but was outclassed in this matchup.

Stevenson noted ahead of the fight that he was willing to take on anyone and used the opportunity to once again call for a bigger fight.

"I'm in shape. They could have said [Vasiliy] Lomachenko let's fight, I'd have said let's do it.," he said, per ESPN's James Regan. "I'm going to be at my best to beat anybody. I'm the best in boxing and I'm going to show it on Saturday night."

The New Yorker protected his undefeated record and continued momentum to create a much bigger fight. The WBC champion still hasn't truly had a headlining fight against a fellow star in the sport.

Matchups with the likes of Gervonta Davis and Vasiliy Lomachenko would undoubtedly do big business, but they still haven't come to fruition.

Hopefully a win over yet another lesser-known opponent will set up a much bigger opportunity for Stevenson to prove that he's the best lightweight in the world.