He lost his gold medal boxing match on Saturday, but New Jersey-born Shakur Stevenson is still a champion in Newark.
Stevenson, 19, the pride of the Garden State, ended his remarkable run in Rio with a silver medal, falling just short in the Olympic bantamweight title bout against Cuban superstar Robeisy Ramirez, 22, who grabbed gold with a split-decision victory in a thrilling final.
“We’re all so very proud of him,” cousin Tanisha Oliver beamed after leaving the packed CityPlex12 movie in theater in Newark, where Stevenon’s family and friends cheered on their hometown hero.
“It was a very good fight and a split decision. You can’t really complain about it.”
Moments after the fight, an inconsolable Stevenson could barely utter a word in an interview with NBC.
The Newark-native gave credit to Ramirez, before breaking down in tears and burying his face in a towel sobbing.
“I don’t like to lose,” he said.
Stevenson’s post-bout emotions belied his typical, happy-go-lucky demeanor, loved one said.
“In that situation, he really wanted the gold and I don’t think he had it in mind what he’d do if he didn’t get it. That [winning silver] wasn’t an option,” observed grandmother Robvn Moses, a 57-year-old Newark resident.
“That was just (emotionally) overwhelming. It never (before the fight) crossed his mind that he wouldn’t get the gold. He was devastated, obviously. But he fought very well.”
Loved ones made it clear that Stevenson should take pride in his silver-medal-winning tournament in Brazil.
“This was very emotional. I was talking to his mom (as Stevenson spoke to NBC) and she was just as hysterical. This was all a bit much,” said Oliver, a 38-year-old Union, NJ, resident.
“But he did so well and I don’t want him to think he disappointed himself or anyone else. It’s going to be OK.”
The fighter’s mom, Malikah Stevenson, dad Shahid Guyton and grandfather Wali Moses were are all in Rio for the tournament.
Moses — a renown boxing coach and member of the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame — has been teaching Stevenson the sweet science since age 8.
Stevenson — whose mom named him after her favorite rapper, Tupac Shakur — was destined for greatness having grown up on Muhammad Ali Boulevard in Newark, family said.
“I’m not upset,” Wali’s wife Robyn Moses said. “I’m proud of him because he went out there and chased his dream.”
Team USA hasn’t grabbed a men’s boxing gold since 2004 when Andre Ward won the light heavyweight title. Stevenson’s silver is US boxing’s first since 2000.
Ward has become a mentor of Stevenson heaped praise on the young fighter after Saturday’s bout.
“I’m so proud of Shakur Stevenson,” Ward tweeted, “ the fight didn’t go his way, but the character he showed in his post fight interview made me proud.”