Check out boxing’s pound-for-pound rankings. Barring a few exceptions here and there, more often than not, pure boxers occupy most of the top ten positions. To name a few, you have Oleksandr Usyk, Dmitry Bivol, and Shakur Stevenson. There’s a reason why, alongside greats like Muhammad Ali, pure boxers continue their dominance in pound-for-pound ranks.  Their ring IQ and masterful application of techniques keep devastating blows away, allowing for a continued longevity in the sport. Brawlers typically have a shorter shelf life.

Perhaps that could be the reason why it pains many a pure boxer when they come across instances where fighters take ill-advised risks. One such instance saw lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson step in after Regis Prograis shared a sparring video.

“Tread carefully,” Shakur Stevenson warns Regis Prograis

Sharing the footage, the former light welterweight champion revealed how to get the feel of a real fight; he would spar against an opponent wearing 8-ounce gloves. Usually during sparring sessions, fighters wear headgear and use the heavier 16-ounce gloves. But according to Prograis, the practice only leads to a false sense of security.

“Sometimes I spar against someone with the 8 oz. gloves to replicate a real fight. When you get hit with 16 oz. gloves with headgear, it gives false confidence. The 8 oz and 16 oz feel totally different,” Regis Prograis wrote. But soon he received a cautionary message. It came from none other than Shakur Stevenson.

The three-division champion, who’s said to be inching closer to a historic duel against Teofimo Lopez, made a piquant observation. Having spent over a decade in the sport and fought through 33 professional bouts, Prograis has sufficient experience to understand the shift from heavy-gloved sparring to a full-fledged fight. Basically, there’s no need for him to take such needless risks.

“With all due respect, that’s cool to do, but you got 33 fights, so you know how that shit feels frfr. No need to take unnecessary punishment, champ 💯,” Stevenson wrote.

What’s behind Stevenson’s concerns

A brief perusal of comments shows how several users agreed with the lightweight champion’s observation. For the record, in professional boxing, glove size depends mainly on the weight class of the fighters. Typically, 8-ounce gloves are used by fighters from welterweight and below.

On the other hand, those in light middleweight and above opt for 10-ounce gloves.

However, things are different during sparring sessions. Fighters switch over to 14-18 ounce gloves. They have thicker padding. As a result, it reduces damage to your sparring partner and lowers the risk of cuts. Overall, it softens the impact to the head and body.

Additionally, heavier gloves help in building endurance. Their usage tires the arms and conditions them. They also help build shoulder strength. Most significantly, the whole idea behind sparring is to prepare fighters by giving them a near-real simulation where they could practice their defense, timing, counterattacks, and footwork. All this without suffering or inflicting any injury.

Perhaps that’s what intrigued Shakur Stevenson. Moreover, in two months’ time, Regis Prograis will turn 37. His last fight against Jo Jo Diaz was a slugfest. It followed two back-to-back losses to Jack Catterall and Devin Haney. So, considering his aggressive approach as a full-on brawler, Prograis could just as well slow down and take measured steps instead of putting his health and career at risk before the fight even starts!

Do you agree with Shakur Stevenson’s views?