ESPN Presents Jamel Herring-Shakur Stevenson Junior Lightweight Title Clash Live from Atlanta October 23
Nico Ali Walsh, Grandson of “The Greatest,” Aims for Pro Win Number Two in Middleweight Special Attraction
Top Rank junior lightweights Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring and Shakur Stevenson have exchanged verbal volleys in person and on social media, and they will settle the score Saturday, Oct. 23, live on ESPN. Herring will defend his WBO world title against undefeated former featherweight world champion Stevenson from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta at 10:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 23, on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+.
Herring (23-2, 11 KOs), a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who captained the 2012 U.S. Olympic boxing team, has made three defenses of his crown including a 6th-round stoppage of former two-division champion Carl Frampton his last time out. He now faces 2016 U.S. Olympic silver medalist Stevenson (16-0, 8 KOs), a former WBO featherweight world champion who vacated the title last year to move up to junior lightweight. Stevenson looks to become a two-division champion at just 24 years young and validate his recent #2 rank among ESPN.com’s “Top 25 Under 25 in Boxing” for 2021.
In a four-round middleweight special feature, Nico Ali Walsh (1-0, 1 KO), grandson of “The Greatest,” Muhammad Ali, looks to make it two for two against James Westly II. Walsh dazzled in his August debut, wearing an original pair of his grandfather’s trunks, capping off a highlight-reel knockout with a whirlwind media tour across World News Tonight, The Today Show and more.
In the penultimate bout of the night, Puerto Rican teen sensation Xander Zayas (10-0, 7 KO), the youngest signing in Top Rank’s nearly 50-year history, continues his rise on the heels of his #19 ranking in the ESPN.com “Top 25 Under 25 in Boxing” for 2021.
Undercards stream live exclusively on ESPN+ in English and Spanish beginning at 7:25 pm, capped off by another historic heavyweight connection as Evan Holyfield (7-0, 5 KO), son of former heavyweight champion and icon Evander Holyfield, shows out on his home turf for the Atlanta faithful.
Joe Tessitore will call the action, joined by analysts Andre Ward and Tim Bradley, with reporter Bernardo Osuna at ringside and Mark Kriegel providing news and features.
