Stephan Shaw: “I’m a Viable, Young Prospect Slash Contender From America!”
Undefeated Heavyweight Prospect Stephan Shaw Plans To Make The Most of His ‘Big Shot’ Dec. 17 on NBC Sports Network Versus Lyubomyr Pinchuk
If you watched either of the first two Ring City USA telecasts, you might’ve seen the phrase “It Ain’t Easy” on one of the walls of the series’ host site Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California.
Once undefeated Heavyweight Stephan Shaw, a 28-year old from Saint Louis, Missouri, sees the phrase he should feel right at home. Shaw, nicknamed “Big Shot”, knows all too well that boxing, and the business of boxing, ain’t easy. The 6-foot 4-inch boxer-puncher’s last seven years in the sport would attest to the mantra of Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach’s famed gym.
I’m licking my chops, man. I feel like most of those guys hold the seat that I feel like I need, and they’re all on my hit-list. Every last one of ’em. – undefeated Heavyweight Stephan “Big Shot” Shaw
Despite being undefeated at 13-0 with 10 knockouts, Shaw debuted on a Golden Boy Promotions card in December 2013, but still awaits his ‘big shot’ – in a sport historically dominated by a number of iconic Heavyweights. Nowadays, especially in the United States, it seems like basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain was prophetic when he said, “Nobody roots for Goliath.”
America used to, so long as Goliath had a mouthpiece, he was wearing a pair of gloves and trading leather with another Goliath.
Also on that card in 2013: Jermall Charlo then 16-0, Joseph Diaz then 7-0, and Errol Spence Jr. then 9-0. Diaz (31-1, 15 KOs) became the IBF Super Featherweight champion in January. Two-division titlist and current WBC Middleweight champion Charlo (31-0, 22 KOs) and unified Welterweight champion Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) headlined Pay Per View events on September 26 and December 5, respectively. Both Charlo and Spence fight under advisor Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions banner. Shaw signed with Haymon in 2013, but is now promoted by Lou DiBella and his DiBella Entertainment imprint. DiBella is one the country’s biggest promoters operating without a television or broadcast partner.
This Thursday night on NBC Sports Network, DiBella and Split-T Management, will present Shaw with his big shot on Ring City USA’s third show. Rising Super Welterweight prospect Charles Conwell (13-0, 10 KOs), a 2016 U.S. Olympian, faces Oxnard, California-based Kazakh Madiyar Ashkeyev (14-0, 7 KOs) in the 10-round main event. Shaw is scheduled for an 8-rounder with undefeated Lyumobyr Pinchuk (12-1-1, 7 KOs). The action starts at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
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In the co-main event, San Antonio, Texas native Iranda Paola Torres will clash with Canadian Jelena Mrdjenovich (40-10-2, 19 KOs) in 10 rounds of Featherweight action. Mrdjenovich defeated Vissia Trovato in June 2019 via wide unanimous decision to win the division’s WBA and WBC titles.
‘This your last bum.’, but here he is fighting the Olympian in 2016 in Efe Ajagba on national TV on ESPN… – Shaw on Jonathan Rice whom he defeated in 2016
Shaw intends to make sure fans that tune in root for Goliath.
In a recent phone interview with Bite Down Boxing, Shaw shared some thoughts about his career and his upcoming televised bout.
- To hear Shaw talk about how the fight came together and some details about his preparation – sparring partners and targeted weight on fight night – click HERE.
- For Shaw’s thoughts on being selected by Ring City USA to represent the Heavyweight division on NBC Sports Network click HERE.
- Shaw provided his assessment of his opponent Lyumobyr Pinchuk. Click HERE for his opinion on the 24-year old Ukrainian who resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
- To hear Shaw’s response to whether he believes a statement win versus Pinchuk can catapult him into the rankings of the sanctioning bodies click HERE.
- Click HERE to listen to Shaw’s focus on, and the importance of, finding the optimum weight for him to be most effective on fight night.
- Making it to the quarantined sites for fights right now is a challenge for fighter teams, and networks, click HERE for details on how the Shaw men handled this concern.
- By fight night Shaw will have been out of the ring 1 year and 12 days, he’s sat and watched many fighters in the division take their important next steps in their careers. To hear his thoughts on how many of the division’s up and comers have fared in their fights during the pandemic click HERE.
- Shaw said that he hasn’t received calls for fights against Filip Hrgovic, as an example, but shared a realistic view on how such fights will eventually come to be. Click HERE.
Shaw’s picked up explosive wins in his promoter’s Broadway Boxing series including victories over opponents such Donovan Dennis, Willie Jake Jr. and Gregory Corbin. All of those fights streamed live on various platforms. Last December, he stopped Corbin in the third round of a bout scheduled for 10 rounds. The event took place at Terminal 5 in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan, and streamed on UFC Fight Pass.
The undefeated 28-year old’s words show his awareness that when it comes to boxing, it ain’t easy. When he hears the first bell Thursday night, he’ll fight like he knows it.
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