Jessie Cris Rosales looks to score a huge upset on Saturday, Jan. 19 (PHL time), when he takes on 2016 Olympics silver medalist and fast-rising prospect Shakur Stevenson at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, New York.
“A lot have given me advice, especially Duarn Vue, that Sharkur’s game plan will be disrupted if he’ll be cornered,” the 27-year-old Rosales told SunStar Cebu. “His game will be messed up if he’s under pressure. I know I have more power than him.”
Vue, a featherweight prospect, was supposed to be Rosales’ opponent in a title defense of his World Boxing Assocation (WBA) Inter-Continental featherweight strap in October. The fight, however, never came into fruition.
Rosales has made a special bond with Vue, who’s giving him constant advice through the internet.
“We have been constantly communicating on Instagram. We are friends. He has seen Shakur spar a lot of times,” he said.
Vue was also supposed to be Stevenson’s opponent in his first 10-rounder in October. But he had to withdraw from the fight because of a detached retina.
A lot is at stake in this fight. Aside from a chance to shock the world by beating one of the featherweight division’s most promising names, this is also Rosales’ chance to break into the world rankings. Two belts will be on the line--the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Inter-Continental and the World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas featherweight titles.
“Yes I have a huge chance to be world-rated if I win. Plus Shakur is a famous boxer,” he said.
An upset isn’t impossible because Rosales did it last year. He was coming in as a huge underdog against 2012 Olympian Ibrahim Balla. He knocked him out cold in the second round.
Rosales tipped the scales at 124.5 pounds, while Stevenson weighed-in a pound heavier at 125.5 pounds.
Rosales is 22-1-1 with 10 knockouts, losing only to two-division world champion Jhonny Gonzalez, while the 21-year-old Stevenson is 9-0 with five knockouts.(EKA)