‘It proved a lot to me’ – Floyd Schofield’s rivalry with ‘idol’ Shakur Stevenson was forged in behind-closed-doors sparring session
Floyd Schofield Jr will take a leap up in competition when he challenges Shakur Stevenson for his WBC lightweight title next month. The talent-laden 22-year-old is yet to test himself against the divisional elite at 135lbs but on February 22 he locks horns with one of the most technically gifted fighters of his generation. Instagram - Floyd SchofieldSchofield and Stevenson are former sparring partners[/caption] Stevenson, an Olympic silver medallist and three-weight world champion in the pros, has barely put a foot wrong in his unblemished 22-0 career thus far, while his impenetrable defence has led to comparisons to the great Floyd Mayweather. Yet Schofield Jr and his father and trainer Schofield Sr believe they have the formula to dethrone the highly-rated champion. And their confidence stems from a sparring session four years ago. “We just sparred one time when I was 18,” said Schofield Jr. “At that time I was fighting over four rounds during COVID and whatnot. “So those four rounds [we shared] showed me ‘Hey, I can do this. “If I get focused, and stay disciplined then I can actually do this and be good at this’ “I was still young, 18. So, in your head sometimes you still have doubts, like, Am I able to do this? “But after that sparring, I was like, ‘I could really do this’. Now I’m here to prove it.” Schofield Sr then chimed in: “What it did for me is I got to see those two go to work and I got to see that his style would beat Shakur’s. But I already knew that. Instagram - Floyd SchofieldSchofield Jr is trained by his father Schofield Sr[/caption] “I already know how hard it was for Shakur in there and Shakur is one of our top fighters. “I’ve got to watch him and always wanted [my son] to grow up and fight Shakur. “Not out of hate or out of anger; it was more out of the competitive nature. “He would study Shakur and he would study these older guys and that helped him become him. “So to me, it is a great thing, it is a passing of the torch. “And once he gets past Shakur the sky is the limit and then the younger generation takes over.” Schofield Jr boasts an unblemished 18-0 recordGETTY Schofield Jr (18-0) is now 22 years old and one of the most highly-touted prospects in the sport. During his rise through the ranks, he looked up to Stevenson, 27, as an ‘idol’. But that will be cast to one side when they duke it out in Saudi Arabia for the green and gold strap. “I knew Shakur growing up, I always used to see him at the amateur fights because he was about to get ready to go to the Olympics,” Schofield Jr added. “So he was a little older than me. I would always take pictures with him and whatnot because, at that time, Shakur was a good amateur fighter, so I knew Shakur coming up in the ranks. “Then, once I got older, I started my professional career. Around 18, we had our first sparring session… “And now I wanted to challenge myself [by fighting him]. He got a little offended by it, and, we’re here now, so that’s really all it was. “We weren’t super close. Now he talks a lot of c***. It’s not to me now [fighting him] because it’s not about me fighting my idol, it’s about taking his boat. “But who knows, maybe after the fight he can be my idol again and he will do whatever he does after that fight. “But as of right now, I don’t look at him in that way.” Boxing WhatsApp channel Get the latest fight news, reaction and the best opinion from talkSPORT pundits in our Boxing WhatsApp channel. Follow our Boxing channel HERE.
Floyd Schofield Jr will take a leap up in competition when he challenges Shakur Stevenson for his WBC lightweight title next month.
The talent-laden 22-year-old is yet to test himself against the divisional elite at 135lbs but on February 22 he locks horns with one of the most technically gifted fighters of his generation.
Stevenson, an Olympic silver medallist and three-weight world champion in the pros, has barely put a foot wrong in his unblemished 22-0 career thus far, while his impenetrable defence has led to comparisons to the great Floyd Mayweather.
Yet Schofield Jr and his father and trainer Schofield Sr believe they have the formula to dethrone the highly-rated champion.
And their confidence stems from a sparring session four years ago.
“We just sparred one time when I was 18,” said Schofield Jr.
“At that time I was fighting over four rounds during COVID and whatnot.
“So those four rounds [we shared] showed me ‘Hey, I can do this.
“If I get focused, and stay disciplined then I can actually do this and be good at this’
“I was still young, 18. So, in your head sometimes you still have doubts, like, Am I able to do this?
“But after that sparring, I was like, ‘I could really do this’. Now I’m here to prove it.”
Schofield Sr then chimed in: “What it did for me is I got to see those two go to work and I got to see that his style would beat Shakur’s. But I already knew that.
“I already know how hard it was for Shakur in there and Shakur is one of our top fighters.
“I’ve got to watch him and always wanted [my son] to grow up and fight Shakur.
“Not out of hate or out of anger; it was more out of the competitive nature.
“He would study Shakur and he would study these older guys and that helped him become him.
“So to me, it is a great thing, it is a passing of the torch.
“And once he gets past Shakur the sky is the limit and then the younger generation takes over.”
Schofield Jr (18-0) is now 22 years old and one of the most highly-touted prospects in the sport.
During his rise through the ranks, he looked up to Stevenson, 27, as an ‘idol’.
But that will be cast to one side when they duke it out in Saudi Arabia for the green and gold strap.
“I knew Shakur growing up, I always used to see him at the amateur fights because he was about to get ready to go to the Olympics,” Schofield Jr added.
“So he was a little older than me. I would always take pictures with him and whatnot because, at that time, Shakur was a good amateur fighter, so I knew Shakur coming up in the ranks.
“Then, once I got older, I started my professional career. Around 18, we had our first sparring session…
“And now I wanted to challenge myself [by fighting him]. He got a little offended by it, and, we’re here now, so that’s really all it was.
“We weren’t super close. Now he talks a lot of c***. It’s not to me now [fighting him] because it’s not about me fighting my idol, it’s about taking his boat.
“But who knows, maybe after the fight he can be my idol again and he will do whatever he does after that fight.
“But as of right now, I don’t look at him in that way.”
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