Unbeaten featherweight prospect Shakur Stevenson will take on Viorel Simion on Saturday, Top Rank matchmaker Brad Goodman confirmed to The Ring on Tuesday night.
The 10-round bout will take place at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska, as an undercard attraction ahead of Terence Crawford’s first WBO welterweight title defense against Jose Benavidez Jr. Both fights will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (10:30 p.m. ET/ 7:30 p.m. PT).
Stevenson (8-0, 4 knockouts) was originally scheduled to face Duarn Vue, but Vue withdrew last Monday due to a detached retina sustained in sparring. Simion subsequently accepted the fight against the U.S. Olympic silver medalist late last week.
The 21-year-old Stevenson, who resides in Newark, New Jersey, is coming off a one-sided decision victory over former junior lightweight contender Carlos Ruiz on Aug. 18.
Simion (21-2, 9 KOs) has not fought since Apr. 29 of last year when he dropped a 12-round unanimous decision to former WBA junior featherweight titleholder Scott Quigg. The 36-year-old veteran’s most notable victory was a decision win over former world title challenger Alexander Miskirtchian in March 2016.
On paper, the fight will be a significant step up for Stevenson, but he will possess height and reach advantages.
Also on the card, fringe junior middleweight contender Carlos Adames (14-0, 11 KOs) of the Dominican Republic will take on Joshua Conley (14-2-1, 9 KOs) of San Bernardino, California, in a 10-round bout.
That fight, along with the rest of the Top Rank undercard, will be streamed live on ESPN+ (7:30 p.m. ET/ 4:30 p.m. PT).
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