Booker is durable but also a walking punching bag, Shaw should win on points, maybe even by late TKO...
Shaw has been boxing for a while. When will this guy step up? Most heavyweight boxers are like this now days. They take 10 years before they finally step up if they ever step up.
He definitely wants to step up. He was supposed to fight Jermaine Franklin last year - only for Franklin to duck him with an excuse of "long COVID". Di Bella's "Broadway Boxing Series" is not a big-money operation despite the Metro NYC backdrop. It was unlikely that they could bring in somebody bigger than Booker or Curtis Harper, etc. There's a great article written just a couple weeks ago on Shaw entitled "St. Louis Boxer Stephan Shaw's Make-or-Break Moment Is Here" (you'll have to Google it - the site won't let me post the link here) that describes all the BS he's gone through to try to move up in the division. It's guaranteed to make you hate Al Haymon just a little bit more (assuming that's even possible). He'll probably have Booker out of there in 3 -6 rounds.
Booker is carrying too much weight these days and he's 41 years-old. I think Shaw can stop him in the 1st half of the fight.
Booker is a counterpuncher (more or less) with some ring smarts. In earlier years he was quite good defenisvely, but those skills have left him. You have to be doing something pretty wrong though (as Jermaine Franklin routinely was) for Booker to start countering you with any sort of conviction. Shaw is a differnt fighter from Franklin. Shaw move pretty well and has a crip jab. He also knows how to use the jab to set up his power shots. I think he'll be too much for Booker at this stage of Booker's career.
He has been boxing for 9 years. No matter what the excuse is the point is he has yet to step up at all.
It's up to his manager/promoter (and or those of his opponent) to make the fights. That's the way it goes.
I am pretty sure this guy doesn't have a 9 year contact with whatever promoter he is with. Once the contract was up he could of left so he could step up and fight better opposition. He is clearly more dedicated than most current heavyweights since he actually lost weight to get in better shape. He still needs to step up and whatever he can do against better opposition .
