Top Rank Promoter, Bob Arum, has all but confirmed that Shakur Stevenson will not face Vasily Lomachenko next, despite the pair having a shot at a vacant world title.
Stevenson was angling to fight current undisputed lightweight champion, Devin Haney, but he has decided to move up in weight thus making at least his WBC belt vacant.
The next sensible option for Stevenson – who is mandatory challenger – was Lomachenko, the man who feels he beat Haney in May of this year but didn’t get the decision.
Stevenson took to Twitter to accuse the Ukrainian of ‘ducking’ him, even despite claiming to have offered a career-highest payday.
Loma scary ass said no to fighting me 🦆
— Shakur Stevenson (@ShakurStevenson) August 11, 2023
It’s crazy they offered this dude the most money he would ever make in his entire career and he turned it down.. If that’s not a duck idk what is smh
— Shakur Stevenson (@ShakurStevenson) August 11, 2023
Speaking to Steve Kim, Arum said it was not about ducking or purses, but the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
“Lomachenko is balking about fighting this year. He wants to take time off. The s**t situation is still going on in Ukraine and it’s come close to where he lives, with all the bombing of Odesa.
So he really he can’t get focused on fighting. I don’t think it has anything to do with Shakur.”
Lomachenko made the decision in early 2022 to take a leave of absence from boxing and return to his home country following Russia’s invasion. He has since returned to the sport and fought twice.
Arum went on to say that he was ‘definitely’ planning to have Stevenson out around November.
“We’re gonna get the best possible opponent, and he’s gonna fight for the WBC title.”
With Haney’s announcement of his fight at super-lightweight against Regis Prograis nearing, Stevenson is set to fight for the vacant WBC belt against the highest available contender.
The current rankings – correct as of August 10 – say his highest three options are Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz, Frank Martin or William Zepeda.