WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson is already hoping to talk to different promotional companies after his contract with Top Rank expires following his next fight.
The undefeated Stevenson (21-0, 10 KOs) expects there to be high demand for his services, which could result in a bidding war between different promoters, as long as he looks good in his next fight.
Logical destinations would be Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing Company or PBC. However, neither is ideal. Hearn may not be eager to sign Shakur if he feels he won’t attract fan interest due to his boring fighting style. Hearn won’t want to spend a ton of money on a fighter who is underperforming.
Shakur going to PBC may not work out if they put all his fights on Amazon Prime Video PPV. He is not a PPV fighter and probably won’t draw.
Questionable actions
2016 Olympic silver medalist Shakur cannot afford another performance like the one he had against Edwin De Los Santos last month on November 16.
Stevenson threw very few punches and mostly moved around the ring, as if he were actually running. Shakur then took pride in limiting De Los Santos to 40 punches landed in the twelve-round fight.
After the fight it was learned that Shakur had a shoulder and hand injury that prevented him from throwing. Still, it’s important that he doesn’t perform like that in his next fight, as it’s the last one in his current contract with Top Rank.
That was not Shakur’s first bad effort because he fought like this against Jeremiah Nakathilia, Joet González and Robson Conceicao. He was not injured in those fights. He just seemed scared of getting hit.
Testing the market
“I’m going to talk to everyone. I still have a contract, but I’m just letting them know about the promoters and everyone who works in boxing. Just pay attention to what I just told you. The influence I have on the next generation is crazy,” Shakur Stevenson told DAZN Boxing about the attention of him to speak with different promoters to find the next destination for him after he ends his contract with Top Rank after his next fight.
There would be a huge demand for Shakur if he looks good in his next fight, but Top Rank will have to watch him carefully in his next outing to increase the chances of him impressing.
If they put Shakur with someone good, he could revert to the defensive style he used against De Los Santos, and that would be a disaster.
Stevenson cannot continue using injury excuses to justify his poor performances, considering that the fans will no longer be fooled.
“I probably would, but I don’t know,” Shakur said when asked if he would cancel the fight if he got injured while training for a mega fight against Gervonta Davis or if he would come in hurt like he did against Edwin De Los Santos.
If Shakur fought Tank Davis injured, he would have to run around the ring for twelve rounds, and that would ruin his career, even if he won. Running away from Tank throughout the fight could make it difficult for him to win because at times he will take heavy blows and the judges would be more impressed with that than with the lighter blows he is landing.
“Yes, but I have a lot of [pride]. So I must take control of my pride and understand it. Do what’s smart to [my career]. I probably would because it’s the biggest fight of my life. I have to make sure I’m completely 100 [percent] and ready to go,” Shakur said.
“You heard. He’s going to be talking to everyone, so you better bring that checkbook,” Akin Reyes said of Shakur’s intention to talk to all the promotional companies to get the best deal when his contract with Top Rank expires. .
“You could say Edwin was the toughest. No, it wasn’t my hardest. What I will say is that I thought Edwin was skilled. So, I’ll give him credit for the toughest fight right now, but he didn’t challenge me. He fell for the bomb fake. I faked it for twelve rounds,” Shakur said.
De Los Santos was definitely the toughest fight Shakuir had, as he seemed close to losing. The judges weren’t close, but that’s how it was. Shakur was so worried about getting cut that he stayed on the step throughout the fight.
Openness to all options
“If it was up to me, I’d fight him next,” Shakur said of Gervonta Davis. “It depends on him. He has a great team behind him.”
Tank Davis won’t want to fight Shakur because of the run he made against De Los Santos. The last thing he wants is an opponent who is on the move all night.
“You have one fight left in Top Rank. Do you see yourself ending your career at Top Rank or going somewhere else? Reyes said.
“I’m going to talk to everyone. I’m going to explore all options. Top Rank is still an option. It’s not that they’re not an option,” Shakur said. “They put me in a great position.”
Staying at Top Rank would be a good option if Bob Arum doesn’t sell the company to Endeavor, as he is rumored to be doing.
“But you’re not saying, ‘Am I definitely going to sign with Top Rank?’ You want to explore your options,” Reyes said.
