Terence Crawford has nothing but praise for two-weight world champion and training partner, Shakur Stevenson.
The welterweight champion believes Stevenson, 26, will dominate the lightweight division following his title success in both the featherweight and super-featherweight ranks.
But he’s just one fight into his 135lbs campaign, and it’s one of the most stacked divisions in the sport – so it’s highly unlikely to be plain sailing.
Crawford knows as much, and recently named Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis as Stevenson’s toughest test in an interview with Million Dollaz Worth of Game.
“One thing I can say about Tank is he’s smart, he can box and he’s explosive. I see that being Shakur’s toughest fight because of the power. Everybody know Tank punching.”
With that said, ‘Bud’ is confident the southpaw from Newark handles business against all the top lightweights, undisputed champion Devin Haney included.
“I’m saying skill wise and in the mind, neither one of them [Tank or Haney] can out-think Shakur. If you put Shakur in there Shakur beating everybody, man.”
Whilst Crawford prepares for a legacy-defining undisputed contest with Errol Spence Jr, Stevenson is looking at four-belts himself.
He’s currently mandatory for a shot at Devin Haney, and has been urging his team to make it happen. However, an apparent dispute about the purse split has left the fight in jeopardy.
There’s also the threat of Haney moving up to super-lightweight, thus vacating his belts. If that’s the case, Stevenson must look to either ‘Tank’ or Vasiliy Lomachenko to make the biggest fight in the division.
‘Tank’ is coming off a career-best victory over Ryan Garcia, and is undoubtedly the money man at lightweight. Trouble with the law stemming from a hit and run case has seen him in prison though, with a next fight date unclear.