Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya says it was a little “too ambitious” for his fighter Floyd ‘Kid Austin’ Schofield Jr to fight WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson so early in his four-year pro career.
De La Hoya says Schofield’s dad, Floyd Sr., was “determined” that his son must fight Shakur (22-0, 10 KOs) next, so he is now scheduled to challenge him on Feb. 22 on a giant card in Riyadh .
Paid Hustle?
If the move backfires on Schofield Jr., De La Hoya will at least cover himself for the backlash by telling the media ahead of time that he was against the idea of the 22-year-old challenging Shakur.
Many fans believe that Schofield Jr. and his dad are only in it for the money, wanting to win the bag without believing that they will defeat the London-based world champion Stevenson.
When Kid Austin loses, he’ll likely pick up a few wins against the same low-level opponents he’s built his 18-0 record on, and then try to fight for another world title shot for another payday. In other words, it’s just a crowd.
The way Schofield looked in his last fight against second division Rene Tellez Giron, when he dropped him, means he doesn’t belong in the same ring as Shakur or anyone in the top 15 at lightweight. Floyd Jr. proved to be terrible in that fight.
De La Hoya’s warning
“I was the first one to say, ‘We have to wait. We have a plan for you, we have a strategy for you’, but the father was very persistent. The father, in particular, was the one who wanted this fight,” said Oscar De La Hoya Fight Hub TV about wanting Floyd Schofield to continue developing before he fights for a world title.
“For my taste, it was a little too ambitious, but they know exactly what they’re doing.” The father (Schofield Sr.) knows his son. We know his abilities in the ring. Is it too early? Maybe. Is it the right time? who knows. Only Kid Austin knows in the ring that night.”
Boxing fans on social media are divided on whether it’s a good idea for 22-year-old four-year pro Schofield to challenge Shakur for a world title this early in his career. While some fans favor the idea, seeing as Floyd Jr. shows courage, others think it’s stupid and that he’s skipping the developmental part of his career.
Learning on the job
Some fighters went straight to the top early in their careers, but came from great amateur backgrounds. Schofield was not much of an amateur. He’s learning at the top like a pro, and he still hasn’t fought a contender.
De La Hoya, who was 20 when he won his first world title in his 12th pro fight in 1994, was also a 1992 Olympic gold medalist. Schofield does not have the same amateur pedigree.
