Valdez, a fighter known for his tough and aggressive approach to his fights, spent much of the fight stuck in a neutral position, standing in front of Stevenson without letting his hands go. This approach allowed Stevenson to use a simple piercing strategy to stand upright to the left of his standing position on his south leg. Valdez had brief moments of success, occasionally being able to intimidate his way forward and throw the smartest, most skilful Stevenson with his body. However, those moments were few and far between and it was often Stevenson whose body shots provided the most substantial work. The biggest moment of the match came in Round 8, when Stevenson hit a right hook that tripped Valdez. Another right hook seconds later sent Valdez to shoot at the ropes. With the ropes holding him high, he was judged a knockdown, giving Stevenson a 10-8 lap and a little extra stuff in a fight where he never really needed it. Valdez simply posed no real danger to Stevenson for the 12 full laps, leaving the ring with a swollen, flushed face after absorbing lap after a lap of crisp, clean shots. In fact, the most dangerous moment of the night for Stevenson may have come when he interrupted his post-match interview to propose to his young daughter’s mother in the middle of the ring. He said yes, giving Stevenson his second victory in one night. The final score sheets were 117-110, 118-109 and 118-109, all, not surprisingly, for Stevenson. Asked what will follow in the ring, Stevenson acknowledged that his future may be bright, before saying that his immediate concern is to collect two more lightweight belts. “I’m a superstar in this sport,” Stevenson said. “Stop them, say them. I’m ready for anyone … … anyone. Any of the champions. I’ll go collect all the belts at 130 and I will be unquestionable. I deserve to be a superstar.” Can’t get enough boxing and MMA? Get the latest in the world of martial arts from two of the best in the business. Subscribe to Morning Kombat with Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell for the best analysis and in-depth news, including both Taylor vs. Serrano and Stevenson vs. Valdez’s direct analysis at the end of the night below.
