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Steve KimESPN
Shakur Stevenson will be without lead trainer Kay Koroma on Tuesday night when he faces Felix Caraballo in the main event of Top Rank’s boxing card in Las Vegas.
Despite testing negative for the coronavirus Saturday, Koroma was in contact with Mikaela Mayer, another fighter he trains and was planning to corner Tuesday.
Mayer announced her positive test result Sunday and as a result, according to policies set by the Nevada State Atheltic Commission, members of her team are ineligible to remain in the restricted Top Rank area. Mayer’s fight against Helen Joseph was removed from the card.
“Mikaela was sent [out of the bubble] yesterday, and Kay and coach Al [Mitchell] today,” said Brad Jacobs, COO of Top Rank.
Jacobs told ESPN that Edward Jackson will replace Koroma in Stevenson’s corner. Stevenson will have also Willie Moses, his grandfather, in his corner as usual.
“I’m feeling good,” Koroma said to ESPN on Monday night. “I don’t want nobody to feel alarmed. I tested negative, I’m good, I’m healthy.”
Koroma was also supposed to corner Jared Anderson as well.
“I’ll be supporting my guys, regardless,” he said. “I’ll be supporting the whole program.”
Stevenson, the 22-year-old 2016 Olympic silver medalist, seems unfazed by this development.
“We respect the protocols being put in place for this fight,” he told ESPN. “Coach Kay Koroma tested negative upon our arrival here in Las Vegas, but we are following the Nevada commission, Top Rank and MGM Grand guidelines.
“I’m disappointed that he won’t be able to be in my corner, but I am fully focused and locked in on tomorrow night and will put on another great show on ESPN.”
The upcoming cards at the MGM Grand Convention Center require everyone involved to be tested as they arrive, and then wear masks while inside the venue. For the time being, the general public is not allowed. There will be limited media on site.
“This is a new world, and we’ve got to roll with the punches here. These things happen,” Jacobs said.