Shakur Stevenson secured an impressive knockout win as boxing made its long-awaited return behind closed doors in Las Vegas.
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, American promoter Top Rank staged their first show since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic at the empty MGM Grand Conference Center.
It was the first televised card in the United States since March 13 with 22-year-old WBO featherweight champion Stevenson taking top billing.
Making his super-featherweight debut, the 2016 Olympian made short work of Felix Caraballo, who took the fight on less than a months’ notice.
Stevenson toyed with his opponent before ending the contest in the sixth round with a shuddering body shot, extending his professional record to 14-0 in the process.
The American, has been likened to five-weight world champion and modern legend Floyd Mayweather, had been on a collision course with IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington heading into 2020.
“I came here to get him out of there,” Stevenson said. “My mindset was focused on getting him out of there. I hit him with everything I could early.
"I wobbled him a bunch of times. He took a lot of punishment, and I started realising that the head shots wasn’t gonna get him out of there. So, I started going to the body more.
"He opened up wide, and I caught him with a clean punch, caught him right in the middle of the shot.”
Click through the gallery above to relive a surreal night in Vegas...
