SPORTS WRAP
BY WILLIAM HATHAWAY, JR.
This past weekend at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, it was a battle of undefeated boxers as Newark native Shakur Stevenson took on maybe his toughest challenge yet in William Zepeda.
Stevenson got off to a rocky start against Zepeda, but he was more than up for the challenge. At the end, Stevenson retained his WBC Lightweight Championship by unanimous decision after 12 rounds, with two of the cards scoring it 118-110 and the other 109-109.
Stevenson is now 24-0 with 11 knockouts, while Zepeda suffered his first defeat at 33-1 mark with 27 knockouts.
At another key fighting event a few miles away at Madison Square Garden, it was Katie Taylor upsetting Amanda Serrano to keep the Super Lightweight Title. The bout was part of a historic all-women fight card before a sold out crowd at MSG with a $2.63 million gate live streamed for fans on Netflix.
In football news, New Jersey high school area teams have taken to the field for their first practices on the upcoming football season. As for the pros, the NY Jets have reportedly agreed to a 4-yr., $130 million extension with WR Garrett Wilson that has $90 million guaranteed.
Meanwhile, former Jets QB turned high school coach Teddy Bridgewater has been suspended by school officials at Miami Northwestern High School. The suspension came on allegations that he provided impermissible benefits to his players. Bridgewater retired from the NFL in 2023.
Do you think high school coaches should help their players with items of need, such as paying for their food, Ubers. and other items during high school?
