Posted: July 3, 2018 10:24 a.m. ET - Updated: July 27, 2018 8:51 a.m. ET
By: Andy Slater
A former U.S. Olympic medalist and rising boxing star was sent to jail after being accused of turning a South Beach parking lot into a ring.
Miami Beach officers arrested Shukar Stevenson early Sunday morning after the alleged Saturday night fight.
Social media posts show that the Newark, New Jersey native was in Miami celebrating his 21st birthday.
Stevenson was seen in Instagram posts before and after his arrest hanging out with hip-hop superstar Drake.
Stevenson won a silver medal for the United States in the 2016 Olympics in the bantamweight division.
Officers say the incident started when Stevenson and another boxer, David Grayton, 31, approached their alleged victims in a parking garage at 230 20th Street and started making sexual innuendos towards the group, which included two women.
Words led to fists flying.
During the fight, one male victim was being pummeled “even while he was on the floor,” the exclusively-obtained arrest report says.
The other victims, both female, were also struck with closed-handed fists by both boxers, according to the arrest report.
Fire Rescue treated the alleged victims on scene. They all had visible injuries, police say.
The two boxers had already left the area, but officers were alerted that they were staying at the Shore Club hotel.
About an hour later, officers found Stevenson and Grayton at the hotel.
Stevenson had a cut on his lip and Grayton had cuts on his knuckles, police say.
There were witnesses to the fight and it was captured on surveillance video.
Both boxers are facing one count of misdemeanor battery.
(Update 7/27/18: Stevenson entered a not-guilty plea)
Stevenson’s next scheduled bout is August 18 in Atlantic City.
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(Photo: SkySports, Miami-Dade Corrections)