Bantamweight standout, Shakur Stevenson has secured the first spot in the gold medal bout for his United States Olympic Boxing Team.
The Newark, New Jersey native benefited from the unfortunate injury suffered by his opponent, Russia’s Vladimir Nitikin, who pulled out of today’s semi-final contest. Stevenson will now on advance to Saturday’s gold medal bout.
2012 Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez won his semifinal bout on the opposite side of the bantamweight bracket to set up another historic USA vs. Cuba match-up in Saturday’s final. Ramirez took gold in the flyweight division before moving up to bantamweight for the 2016 Olympics.
Stevenson has been looking to fight the London Gold medalist since earlier in the year and can’t wait to step in the ring for the Olympic finale he’s dreamed of since he was a child.
“I’m ready to put on a show and we’re about to turn this place out,” said Stevenson to USA Boxing. “I think it’s about to be a great match-up. We’ve got the 2012 Olympic gold medalist from Cuba, a great fighter and you’ve got the up and coming, rising superstar from USA. We’re about put on a show and I plan on coming out victorious.”
