Free agent Shakur Stevenson revealed final night time the 4 fights he needs if he indicators with promoter Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom.
WBC light-weight champion Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs) gushed about Hearn throughout an interview on the Wells Fargo Middle in Philadelphia, hinting he could be signing with him.
Shakur will probably quickly be disgruntled when Hearn fails to present him what he needs along with his dream matchups. If Hearn can present him with the fights he needs, fantastic, but it surely doesn’t appear potential as a result of he doesn’t promote the fighters that Shakur needs.
Shakur’s Dream Matchups
The ‘Massive 4’ Shakur named for his hitlist:
- William Zepeda
- George Kambosos
- Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis
- Vasily Lomachenko
There’s an ideal probability that Shakur will probably be bitter after he indicators with Hearn and fails to get the large fights he needs. That’s why it’s important that Hearn solely signal Shakur for a short-term contract.
He’ll quickly develop into a dreary downside for Eddie if Eddie doesn’t magically produce the fights he needs in opposition to Zepeda, Tank, Lomachenko, and Kambosos.
Shakur would possibly then throw a mood tantrum like a spoiled brat and vent on social media 24/7 for months/years when he’s contracted with Hearn. That’s a poison that Hearn doesn’t want as a result of he can’t take away it rapidly for a remedy.
Hearn’s Life like Choices
Andy Cruz
Liam Paro
Regis Prograis
Jack Catterall
Richardson Hitchins
Subriel Matias
Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis
Sadly for Stevenson, the one fighter on that checklist that Hearn has any hopes of establishing a battle in opposition to is the down-and-out Kambosos Jr. (21-3, 10 KOs), however solely as a result of his profession has fallen aside since his upset 12-round cut up determination defeat of IBF/WBA/WBO light-weight champion Teofimo Lopez on November 27, 2021, in New York.
Kambosos Jr. has misplaced three of 4 fights since then and could possibly be heading for one more loss in opposition to IBF mild welterweight champion Liam Paro in November in Australia. That battle is in negotiations with an excellent probability of occurring.
Shakur is not going to acquire from preventing Kambosos after Paro beats him as a result of he has misplaced too many fights, and it might look pathetic to U.S. and Australian boxing followers for ‘The Emperor’ to be given one other world title shot after getting whipped by Liam in November.
“I like Zepeda. If we are able to’t get Zepeda, I feel [George] Kambosos has been speaking rather a lot in the present day on Twitter. I’d like to arrange a battle in Australia and make him 0-4 down there,” mentioned Shakur Stevenson to iFL TV when requested who could be the highest three fighters he would need to battle if he indicators a take care of Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing promotional firm.
Hearn can’t get the large names that Shakur needs on his hitlist of 4 fighters. Yeah, he can in all probability negotiate with Kambosos, however he’s value something for Shakur after he’d dealt one other defeat by Paro, placing his file at 1-4 in his final 5 fights.
“Him [Kambosos], Tank, Lomachenko, whoever we are able to get within the ring for the largest and the very best fights,” Shakur continued.
Shakur could not need to face the reality, however Hearn can’t produce the names he needs except His Excellency steps in and pays a mountain of gold for Lomachenko, Tank, and Zepeda to battle Stevenson. I doubt that occurs.
“I can say that with the power he acquired, I’ll undoubtedly be capable to give my greatest performances and be capable to present out. I like the power with Matchroom,” mentioned Shakur when requested how Hearn would promote him in another way than how he was with Prime Rank.
Shakur’s greatest performances received’t be ok to beat three of the 4 fighters he needs to face at light-weight. He’s not bearing Tank, Zepeda, or Lomachenko along with his restricted energy and timid, safety-first preventing model.
If Hearn indicators Shakur, he’ll add one other Richardson Hitchins kind of fighter to his Matchroom roster, and he’ll rapidly discover that out. Shakur is a smaller, lighter-hitting model of Hitchins, however with extra of a social media presence and the villain factor going full throttle.
“This isn’t a love-in. We’re going to be negotiating subsequent week,” mentioned Hearn, reducing in. “There’s nothing going to strengthen my hand. He’s acquired my hand twisted, cuffed on the again. Hear, he’s a fantastic fighter. I’m a fantastic promoter,” mentioned Hearn.
Hopefully, Hearn has his eyes open understands Shakur’s limitations as a fighter, and notes how poor he was in his final two fights in opposition to Artem Harutyunyan and Edwin De Los Santos. These efforts weren’t an anomaly.
They clearly indicated Shakur’s limits in his capability to be light-weight. He’s not the identical fighter he was at 135 as he was at 130 and 126, the place he was greater than his opponents and will dominate with measurement. Shakur can’t do this at light-weight, and his little energy hasn’t carried up.
“I consider we’re a match made in heaven. If the enterprise works for everyone, I’m positive we’ll have one thing to say about it,” mentioned Hearn.
A Cautious Strategy
If Hearn indicators Shakur, it must be for one or two fights, however provided that he matches him in opposition to the fighters he wishes. Shakur received’t be pleased preventing Andy Cruz, Liam Paro, Richardson Hitchins, or Prograis. A few of them would possibly beat him, and that’s not good for Hearn to observe Shakur lose instantly.
