Boxing analyst Tim Bradley believes Shakur Stevenson made a mistake by not accepting the $15 million, five-fight, $3 million assured per-fight deal provide to re-sign with Prime Rank somewhat than hitting the free agent market.
Hope for a Profitable Cope with Turki Alalshikh
Shakur might need turned down the $15 million as a result of he’s holding out hope that Turki Alalshikh will give him a fortune to combat on his playing cards and received’t thoughts if he fights in a boring method.
If that occurs, it might be perfect for Shakur as a result of he wouldn’t have to fret about entertaining followers and will combat the one approach he is aware of how along with his novice point-scoring model that he’s failed to alter since turning skilled in 2017.
The model doesn’t match within the professional ranks, the place fighters are anticipated to sit down down on their punches and be entertaining to promote tickets and PPVs.
Bradley feels that was an excellent provide and says WBC light-weight champion Shakur would have made greater than his $3 million for fights towards Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis and Vasily Lomachenko.
Shakur may be beneath the impression that if he indicators with PBC, they’ll give him the Tank Davis combat, a goldmine with an enormous payday, doubtless way over the $15M deal that Prime Rank was providing.
Unrealistic Expectations from PBC and Matchroom
Stevenson may not get the identical provide from PBC or Matchroom Boxing as a result of they have to know he’ll doubtless by no means be a PPV attraction or a ticket vendor by now.
If Shakur will get the combat he’s on the lookout for towards Tank Davis, he’ll both be knocked out, run across the ring for 12 rounds as he did towards Edwin De Los Santos, and lose a large resolution. There received’t be a present resolution for Shakur towards Tank if he fights equally as he did towards De Los Santos.
If Shakur believes PBC can ship him Tank, it might make sense for him to signal with them. In fact, PBC can’t power Tank Davis to combat Shakur if he feels he doesn’t wish to combat him and cope with the operating from him for twelve rounds.
Shakur would combat extra defensively towards Tank than he did final Saturday evening towards the weak puncher Artem Harutyunyan in Newark, New Jersey.
Prime Rank’s Beneficiant Supply
“Ought to he have taken that $15 million [offer from Top Rank] deal? Completely. He ought to have taken that $15 million deal. Little question about it,” mentioned Tim Bradley to Probox TV in regards to the $15M Prime Rank provided Shakur Stevenson to re-sign with them for a five-fight, $3 million per combat deal, which he rejected.
Shakur might come crawling again to Prime Rank if he’s not provided a greater or equal deal from different promoters or Turki. That may be a foul look on Shakur’s half, however it’s an actual risk. In the event you’re PBC or Matchroom, do you actually wish to signal Shakur after how he’s seemed currently? I wouldn’t. Many thrilling fighters might not be nearly as good on protection, however they entertain the followers.
“You bought to consider this. It’s a $3 million minimal. It doesn’t matter who he faces. If he faces Tank Davis, after all, he’s going to earn more money,” mentioned Bradley. “If he faces Lomachenko, after all, he’s going to earn more money. That’s a baseline worth proper there.”
Shakur can overlook about Lomachenko as a result of he’ll in all probability by no means comply with combat him except he’s paid an unlimited sum of money. If he loses to Gervonta Davis in November, he’ll be ineffective to Shakur.
“Folks have been leaving that enviornment. If he was going to get that knockout, folks would have waited there to see it unfold. He missed that chance, and the rationale he missed that chance is as a result of he was arguing along with his grandfather contained in the nook,” mentioned Bradley about Shakur failing to hearken to his grandfather, who wished him combat aggressively down the stretch
Stevenson wouldn’t get a knockout of Artem Harutyunyan final weekend, and it wouldn’t have mattered if he had fought with extra aggression. It wasn’t going to occur.
“His grandfather was telling him, ‘I would like you to step on the fuel, and I must step on it now.’ He didn’t hear. The window was there, and he didn’t get the stoppage,” mentioned Bradley.
The Significance of Marketability
“So far as his marketability goes, it’s going to be exhausting for him,” Bradley mentioned about Shakur. “I don’t know the place he’s going to go from right here. I don’t know if he’s going to go along with Terence Crawford. Turki Alalshikh, is he going to spend money on Shakur Stevenson?”
If Turki indicators Shakur, who’s he going to match him towards? Will he make common fights or put collectively crossover matches the place he finds a well-liked MMA fighter and has him combat Shakur in a circus-level combat?
“He needs extra money. I get it. I’m speaking about marketability. If you’re not placing folks within the seats, it’s exhausting so that you can demand as a lot cash as this younger man is demanding. $3 million is some huge cash,” mentioned Bradley.
The way in which Shakur has carried out, he’s not price a $15 million contract and doesn’t price extra money than extra entertaining youthful fighters like Abdullah Mason.
“You don’t see plenty of guys making $3 million,” mentioned Bradley.
