Shakur Stevenson grew bored watching Conor Benn’s performance against veteran boxer Regis Prograis during their catchweight co-feature at 150 pounds, ahead of Tyson Fury’s comeback against fellow giant Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Netflix.
Considering the investment Zuffa Boxing made in Benn, luring him from Matchroom in a $15 million deal for one-fight guaranteed, much would have been expected of the British slugger, who is entering the prime years of his career and yet has an eight-year advantage over the older fighter Prograis, at 37.
Benn did certain things well. Volume and pressure are his signature strategies and, when it works, he’s shown he can box with effective aggression.
However, he didn’t just have an advantage in age over Prograis, who entered the ring not only off-form, but possibly hampering issues, too, with Benn’s former promoter, Eddie Hearn, telling iFL TV that “everyone” knows Prograis is “badly injured.”
Regardless, Benn failed to finish Prograis and provide Zuffa, and Netflix, with a highlight-reel knockout. Instead, Prograis survived to hear the final bell, and Benn may have left his new promoter with a feeling of buyer’s remorse.
Benn’s performance also failed to impress Stevenson, who just yawned through the fight, if his four-emoji post during the bout was anything to go by.
Later, he retweeted a post from former football running back, Le’Veon Bell, who used to play football for the Pittsburgh Steelers, among others, before turning to boxing. Bell said: “Stevenson will stop Conor Benn. Bro better stay far, far, FAR away from Shakur.”
Stevenson also posted: “If he makes it 12 rounds with me, I’ll be disappointed in myself.”
A defensive wizard, Stevenson has been on a tear of late, advancing his pro record to 25-0 (11 KOs), with back-to-back wins over William Zepeda and Teofimo Lopez in the back. There has long been speculation as to whom could be next for Stevenson, with Benn one of many viable options.
But, if the American’s latest comments are anything to go by, he appears to think it’ll be easy work.