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- Who: Shakur Stevenson vs. Edwin De Los Santos
- What: Vacant WBC Lightweight Title
- Date: Thursday, November 16, 2023
- Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
- Location: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV
- How to Watch: ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+
The vacant WBC lightweight title is on the line on Thursday, November 16, when Shakur Stevenson faces Edwin De Los Santos at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The unbeaten Stevenson was initially linked to a matchup against the also undefeated Frank Martin, but that fight fell apart in September. With Martin out of the running, Edwin De Los Santos stepped in to replace him. The WBC lightweight title was left vacant after the sanctioning body named Devin Haney a champion in recess after he signed to fight WBC junior welterweight champ Regis Prograis on December 9 in San Francisco. Here is some background on Shakur Stevenson and Edwin De Los Santos before we discuss the betting odds and predictions for the lightweight title fight.
Stevenson (20-0 with 10 knockouts) was stripped of his super featherweight titles after missing weight for his September fight opposite Robson Conceicao. Stevenson won that contest via unanimous decision. He followed that with an April 2023 knockout win over Shuichiro Yoshino. The Ring has Stevenson rated No. 5 in the lightweight division.
Edwin De Los Santos (16-1 with 14 KOs) is coming off a July decision win over Joseph Adorno in Atlantic City. He is on a three-fight winning streak. De Los Santos is rated No. 6 in the WBC 135-pound rankings.
Before we look at the lightweight matchup between Shakur Stevenson and Edwin De Los Santos, check out the best boxing betting sites, where you can find the best boxing picks.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Edwin De Los Santos betting picks
| To Win Vacant WBC Lightweight Title |  |  |  |  |
| Shakur Stevenson | -800 | -800 | -1250 | -800 |
| Edwin De Los Santos | +500 | +500 | +643 | +500 |
Shakur Stevenson vs. Edwin De Los Santos betting breakdown
Former two-division champ and an Olympic silver medalist, Shakur Stevenson is one of the most talented technical boxers in the business right now. Moving up to lightweight will be a test for him, but his experience in his win over Shuichiro Yoshino, should serve him well in his first lightweight title fight. The 26-year-old is fast on his feet, and has excellent offensive and countering skills. He has the skills to force his opponent to make mistakes, he then capitalizes on those technical errors. Stevenson has great fundamentals and he fights well at distance and in close.
Edwin De Los Santos is no slouch, and he should give Stevenson a more challenging lightweight fight than Yoshino did earlier this year. With that being said, the 24-year-old landed this fight because competitors ranked higher than him, namely Frank Martin, Isaac Cruz, and Vasiliy Lomachenko, were not interested in matching up against a foe like Stevenson, who is currently without a lightweight title. De Los Santos is an aggressive boxer who does not take a long time to get involved in a fight. He will look to attack Stevenson from the opening bell and force him to fight off his back foot.
Shakur Stevenson vs. Edwin De Los Santos: What’s at stake?
This is an incredibly important matchup in the lightweight division. If Shakur Stevenson wins, the victory will give him the WBC title and put him in the conversation to match up against the best of the 135-pound division. Currently, his lack of a belt at lightweight is holding him back. With a title around his waist, the fighters who have been avoiding him will have no more excuses. Stevenson needs the win to make the next step in his career, where he can face fighters like Martin, George Kambosos Jr, Ryan Garcia, and maybe even the likes of Isaac Cruz and Gervonta Davis. There’s also the longshot chance that Devin Haney will return to face the winner at lightweight.
As for De Los Santos, this is a perfect opportunity for him to launch himself into elite status in the lightweight weight class. If he plays spoiler and defeats Stevenson, he will be the WBC champ and earn himself the biggest purse of his career in a title defense.
Best Bets for Shakur Stevenson vs. Edwin De Los Santos
Because Stevenson is the overwhelming betting favorite, there is not a lot of betting value in picking him as the winner. Instead, the betting value comes from wagering on the outcome of this fight. I expect this will be a tough test for Stevenson, but I also believe he has the skills to emerge as the victor. My betting pick is Stevenson to win via decision.
For those who like Do Los Santos’ chances, there is a lot of betting value in picking the betting underdog. With his aggressive style, De Los Santos might steal rounds early, and he could catch Stevenson with a power punch to score the KO. Betting on Do Los Santos is risky, but the value is there to pick him to win via decision or knockout in an upset.
Betting pick for Shakur Stevenson vs. Edwin De Los Santos: Shakur Stevenson to win via decision.
See below the best sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
