A New Jersey Thing: Who are the best fighters from the Garden State?

Shakur Stevenson will seek to secure four-weight champion status when he bids for Teofimo Lopez's WBO light-welterweight crown at The Ring 6 tomorrow.

The Newark native heads over the Hudson in pursuit of sporting history, and bidding to fly the flag for his home state of New Jersey live on DAZN Pay-Per-View.

But as he descends upon New York City, Stevenson will know he is far from the only Garden State fighter to arrive at Madison Square Garden with high hopes.

Ahead of his latest test, DAZN News looks back on some of the biggest fighters to come out of New Jersey, ranging from heavyweight legends to lower-class kings.

Marvin Hagler

Few men ever commanded a division quite like the Newark man, for whom Stevenson arguably represents the heir as New Jersey's modern champion of the sport.

Marvelous, as he later changed his name to, made a dozen defences of his undisputed middleweight crown between 1980 and 1987, winning all but one by knockout.

His career came to a close when he lost to Sugar Ray Leonard in the latter year, but few stars ever shone quite as brightly as he did with his demonstrative power.

Bobby Czyz

Born in Orange and raised in Wanaque, 'The Matinee Idol' knew how to move around a ring - and how to command it too, earning titles in two different divisions.

Czyz claimed the IBF light heavyweight belt against Slobodan Kačar in 1986 and defended it three times, mounting several subsequent challenges to reclaim it.

When that came up short, he turned to cruiserweight and took the WBA title in 1991, retiring in 1998, having fought Evander Holyfield in his penultimate bout.

Mickey Walker

Many fight fans will not have heard of 'The Toy Bulldog' - but given his reign across a lengthy 164-fight career between 1919 and 1935, he should earn more recognition.

Arguably one of the finest boxers in the history of the sport, Walker hailed from Elizabeth, and was undisputed welterweight and middleweight champion at varied points.

A first-class inductee into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, he subsequently ran a restaurant in retirement and had his artwork exhibited in New York and London.

Shadasia Green

One of the live threats in the sport right now, 'The Sweet Terminator' scored a major win over Savannah Marshall to claim a second super-middleweight belt last year.

Green may not have the lineage that several old-school favourites do, but the Paterson fighter has already assembled a terrific body of work since her 2019 debut.

A 2023 loss to Franchón Crews-Dezurn is the only mark against her in the ring, and she will have her eyes on securing more silverware heading into the rest of the year.

Jersey Joe Walcott

Twenty-three years is a long time for any man to spend in the ring, but that's just what Arnold Raymond Cream managed between 1930 and 1953 over his career.

Seventy fights saw him tangle with several of the era's fellow heavyweight greats, including the legendary Joe Louis, earning respect and admiration for his guile.

Walcott finally sealed his world champion dream at the age of 37 in 1951, a glamour division record that would stand until George Foreman claimed a crown at 45.

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