Shakur Stevenson has options in the lightweight divisions, and he wants to give fans something to remember.
Having been world champion at both featherweight and super-featherweight, the 25-year-old has moved up to 135lbs in the hopes of conquering another division.
Stevenson announced himself on the lightweight scene with a sixth round stoppage of previously undefeated Shuichiro Yoshino, and was confirmed to be the mandatory challenger for Devin Haney’s WBC belt shortly after.
Speaking to The Breakfast Club, Stevenson weighed up the two options that most fans are calling for – the title fight or Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis.
“We’re gonna game plan and see which one makes more sense. Because, business wise right now, me fighting Tank would be a bigger fight, and a bigger opportunity than anything [else.]
But me fighting Devin would be me getting all them belts – and I love belts. The champion side of me want to be a champion again, because I was a champion at every weight class I went to.
But the business side of me, I wanna risk it all. I want the world to bet it all on me versus Tank … Put me and Tank in a boxing ring and let’s see who really like that.”
Stevenson’s words came before both ‘Tank’s fight against Ryan Garcia and Haney’s undisputed title defence against Vasiliy Lomachenko. Thankfully for him with regards to his ideal bouts, both men won, meaning those options remain the same.
He’s been openly calling for the Haney fight since he retained his belts, somewhat controversially in the eyes of many, against the Ukrainian.
Haney is keeping his cards close to his chest in terms of his next defence, and may even vacate his belts to move up to super-lightweight.
That scenario would leave Davis for Stevenson, but the Baltimore native is currently spending time in prison for a violation of house arrest.