Shakur Stevenson has pulled out of his WBC lightweight title defense against Joe Cordina on Oct. 12 because of a hand injury, Matchroom Boxing announced Wednesday.
Stevenson had surgery on the hand and was expected to return to the ring in early 2025, Matchroom said.
The fight had been scheduled to serve as the co-feature to the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol undisputed light heavyweight championship fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs) is ESPN’s No. 9 pound-for-pound boxer. A champion in three divisions, Stevenson, 27, was promoted by Top Rank since his pro debut. Now, the boxer from Newark, New Jersey, will fight under the Riyadh Season banner.
Cordina (17-1, 9 KOs), 32, suffered his first loss his last time out, an eighth-round TKO against Anthony Cacace in May in Riyadh when he lost his 130-pound title. The Stevenson bout would have been his fifth consecutive title fight.