Stevenson TKOs Padley to retain WBC lightweight title

Shakur Stevenson earned a much-needed stoppage in his latest WBC lightweight title defense.

Stevenson defeated short-notice replacement Josh Padley via TKO Saturday at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to retain the championship for the second time.

Padley's corner threw in the towel at the end of the ninth round after Stevenson scored three knockdowns - all with body shots - in that stanza.

Padley stepped in on three days' notice for the biggest fight of his career. He replaced Floyd Schofield, who withdrew earlier this week because of an illness.

Stevenson remained undefeated as a professional with the victory, lifting his record to 23-0. The 27-year-old Newark, New Jersey, native earned his first knockout since 2023. He had faced criticism after scoring lackluster decision wins in back-to-back appearances before Saturday.

Stevenson dominated Padley for much of the fight, outlanding him 225-72 in total punches and 157-62 in power shots. Stevenson controlled the range and pace of the fight and picked Padley apart with his jab.

Stevenson hurt Padley with punches to the body in the fifth and seventh rounds before finding the finish in the ninth. Padley showed an immense amount of heart and toughness as he suffered the first loss of his career, falling to 15-1.