Shakur Stevenson claims he’s anxious and “can’t wait” till his deliberate battle in opposition to his #1 ranked contender, William Zepeda, occurs in early 2025. Stevenson is speaking daring proper now whereas he’s convalescing, however he might change his tune when wholesome.
The Eddie Hearn-promoted Shakur is out of fee now and coping with a hand challenge. WBC light-weight champion Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs) is on the shelf after right-hand surgical procedure resulting from a coaching harm that worn out his title protection in opposition to Joe Cordina on October twelfth in Riyadh.
Shakur, 27, was alleged to be headlining the undercard portion of the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol occasion on DAZN PPV. Stevenson wants a strong win to create fan curiosity for a unification match in opposition to WBA ‘common’ light-weight champion Gervonta Davis.
The three-division world champion Stevenson’s final two fights had been terrible in opposition to Artem Harutyunyan and Edwin De Los Santos. Each contests had been loudly booed by the followers at ringside, and other people on social media criticized him.
Surprisingly, Hearn nonetheless felt that Shakur was price signing to his Matchroom promotional firm. He’s been speaking about turning him right into a “international famous person,” which suggests to some that he has no understanding of what U.S. followers view as leisure.
Shakur’s combating model is what passes for leisure within the UK however not within the U.S. Individuals are usually not considering that archaic Mayweather-esque model.
Zepeda is taking a stay-busy battle in opposition to former tremendous featherweight world champion Tevin Farmer on November sixteenth at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
After that battle, Zepeda will likely be able to problem Shakur for his WBC title if he could make it by coaching camp with out struggling one other harm breakdown.
If Stevenson goes by with the battle with Zepeda, it might finish badly for him as a result of the Mexican energy puncher has the facility and expertise he’s not geared up to deal with.
Shakur hasn’t seemed good since transferring as much as the 135-lb division in 2023, and his harm issues are making him a sickbay commando. Final November, Stevenson blamed his poor efficiency in opposition to Edwin De Los Santos on being injured.
Nobody believed Shakur as a result of that’s how he at all times fought. Nevertheless, if Shakur actually was injured within the De Los Santos battle, it exhibits that he’s not bodily able to combating at 135 with out falling aside.
His accidents sign that Stevenson’s physique can’t deal with the pains of the light-weight division, the place the fighters are a lot stronger and rugged than the fighters at 126 and 130. If Shakur returned from whence he got here at tremendous featherweight, he would possibly get wholesome once more.
Yooooo I swear I can’t wait til battle day 😂😂 https://t.co/71EOHDKNEc
— Shakur Stevenson (@ShakurStevenson) September 22, 2024
