Stephan Shaw says he’s assured of turning into America’s subsequent heavyweight boxing champion and beating Britain’s Dillian Whyte in a possible future matchup.
The 30-year-old from St Louis, Missouri, has the chance to make an announcement on Saturday night time when he faces the harmful Efe Ajagba in New York, dwell on Sky Sports activities Area at 1am on Sunday morning.
Shaw has amassed an ideal 18-0 file, with 13 knockouts, since turning skilled in 2013, however his profession lastly picked up actual momentum final yr as he delivered three spectacular victories.
Ajagba (left) is tough punching former Olympian
“I really feel like this can be a nice alternative for me,” Shaw instructed Sky Sports activities. “It will deliver extra eyes and let the world know that Stephan Shaw is a power to be reckoned with within the heavyweight division.
“I simply need to present that I belong with a few of the greatest on this planet. Not simply heavyweight, simply a few of the greatest fighters on this planet.
“I need to present that I can beat a man of this calibre and I am very assured that I can do it.”
Whereas Deontay Wilder is as soon as extra energetic and looking for a possibility to develop into a two-time world champion after his defeats to Tyson Fury, the USA is determined for a brand new star in boxing’s hottest division.
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Unbeaten 23-year-old Jared ‘Huge Child’ Anderson has been touted as the way forward for American heavyweight boxing, however ‘Huge Shot’ Shaw is adamant he’s first in line
“Completely, I really feel like I am the following American heavyweight world champion,” he stated.
“I have been doing this for a minute. It is unhappy virtually that the eyes are solely simply getting on me, I have been professional since I used to be 21 years outdated, and I all the time wished the eyes to be on me.
“It is not like different guys are preventing prime stage competitors that is making folks be like, ‘oh, he is crushed nice fighters already.’ It is simply they’re getting most important stage TV spots towards C-level fighters.
“And right here I’m, my first actual most important occasion, and I am preventing a fighter with an Olympic background.”
If issues had performed out as he’d have appreciated, Shaw might already be a widely known identify within the UK.
One other rising heavyweight Jared Anderson continued his menacing 100% knockout file as he stopped Jerry Forrest after which challenged British rivals Dillian Whyte and Daniel Dubois
“I’d like to struggle in Britain,” Shaw stated. “I used to be alleged to struggle Jermaine Franklin in 2021 and that was going to be my first most important occasion struggle, and I bear in mind main as much as that struggle, Eddie Hearn had talked about that the winner of our struggle might have been a attainable opponent for Dillian Whyte.
“However Jermaine Franklin pulled out on 4 days’ discover with Covid. Then fast-forward he ended up getting a Dillian Whyte struggle.
“I’d have cherished to get that chance. Franklin did not struggle anyone of any calibre, nowhere close to Efe Ajagba, to get to that plateau.”
Whyte edged out Franklin on a majority determination following an in depth contest at Wembley Area in November.
“He did very properly towards Dillian Whyte, and I felt like would have fared even higher,” Shaw added. “I felt like I might have, and am, able to beating Dillian Whyte.
“I really feel like that may be an ideal struggle.”
Watch Ajagba versus Shaw dwell on Sky Sports activities Area at 1am on Sunday morning.
Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Smith is on Saturday January 21, dwell on Sky Sports activities Field Workplace. Ebook it now in case you are a Sky TV subscriber or a Non-Sky TV subscriber. Purchase tickets here.
