Josh Padley was given the opportunity of a lifetime when he was drafted in to face Shakur Stevenson last month.
The 29-year-old from Doncaster received the call to step-in and face the WBC lightweight champion on just a couple of days notice, after Stevenson’s initial opponent Floyd Schofield pulled out of the contest after falling unwell.
Despite a valiant effort, Padley struggled to match the precision and tempo of the experienced three-weight world champion, eventually suffering a stoppage in the ninth round.
It was however an impressive performance from the Brit, who proved his credentials against arguably the best lightweight on the planet.
In an interview with AllThingzBoxing, Padley was asked to rate the power of the American superstar out of 10, admitting he is ‘not the heaviest’ of punchers.
“I’d say like a 6 or a 7, he’s not the heaviest of hitters but he made up for it in where he’s got his punch selection and accuracy,”
Although he was handed the first defeat of his career against Stevenson, Padley earned himself a multi-fight deal with Matchroom Boxing, where he returns to the ring in Sheffield on April 19.
Stevenson’s next outing is yet to be confirmed, although the 28-year-old has recently reiterated his desire to unify the world lightweight titles should an opportunity arise.
A potential opponent for the American is reigning WBA lightweight champion Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, who fought to a split decision draw against Lamont Roach Jr earlier this month.
‘Tank’ and Stevenson have been on a collision course for quite some time now, with many fans and pundits around the world calling for the lightweight stars to face each other at some stage in 2025.
