British Challenger Set for Clash Against World Champion Stevenson
Image source: Getty Images
Image caption: Shakur Stevenson has accumulated ten knockouts in his twenty-two victories.
Published on February 19, 2025
In an unexpected turn of events, Briton Josh Padley will now step into the ring against WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson in Saudi Arabia. The change came after Floyd Schofield Jr was forced to withdraw from their scheduled bout.
Schofield Jr’s withdrawal happened following his hospitalization on Tuesday, prompting a swift decision by the British Boxing Board of Control to proceed with Padley as Stevensons new opponent. This leaves Stevenson, 27 years old and undefeated in twenty-two fights including ten knockouts, facing fellow unbeaten fighter Josh Padley.
Padley’s last victory came over Mark Chamberlain just a few months ago, making this match a significant step up for him. As an amateur who has spent his career in domestic rings until now, the Yorkshireman must quickly adapt to professional boxing standards while competing at world title level.
Stevenson himself is defending his belt for the second time after securing it back in 2023. His opponent Padley stands undefeated with fifteen fights under his belt and has been building momentum since turning pro.
The announcement came as Schofield Jr’s father posted a picture of him in hospital on Wednesday, stating that he was not “ducking” the fight but did not provide further details about his sons condition. The Golden Boy Promotions team responsible for Schofield Jr initially said their fighter had fallen ill and was now recovering at home after being discharged from the hospital.
The Riyadh event will continue as planned, with other high-profile fights also on the card:
- Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol for WBA, WBO, IBF & WBC light-heavyweight titles
- Daniel Dubois vs. Joseph Parker for IBF heavyweight title
- Shakur Stevenson vs. Josh Padley – the new lightweight championship bout
- Carlos Adames vs. Hamzah Sheeraz for WBC middleweight title
- Vergil Ortiz Jr vs. Israil Madrimov in light-middleweight
- Zhilei Zhang vs. Agit Kabayel in heavyweight
- Joshua Buatsi vs. Callum Smith in light-heavyweight
