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“I wanna see him fight the best in the division”: Terence Crawford Draws Out Plan for Shakur Stevenson to Sweep the Lightweight Division

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Terence Crawford Shakur Stevenson

Shakur Stevenson has been trying to get bigger fights in the lightweight division for the past few years.

However, it has not gone his way, and he has become one of the most ignored fighters in boxing. But, one legendary boxer believes Stevenson is headed in the right direction for greater success. Two-division undisputed champion Terence Crawford has prepared a plan to help Stevenson get to the top of the lightweight division.

Stevenson extended his unbeaten record to 22-0 earlier this month against German boxer Artem Harutyunyan. Despite Stevenson’s victory, fans deemed it as a boring fight. Additionally, it was his last fight with Bob Arum’s Top Rank, and he has not signed another promoter yet. But the news of him being a free agent has created a buzz online.

Terence Crawford and Shakur Stevenson spar, gearing up for next fights - Bad Left Hook

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Fans have criticized Stevenson for being a boring combatant. He uses a fairly defensive style of play. However, ‘Bud’ prefers that the young boxer continue doing what he is doing and make no changes to his style. During his conversation with sports journalist Ariel Helwani, Crawford stated, “I would like to see Shakur Stevenson do exactly what he’s doing now. Keeping his name out there in the media, people are talking about him. Ultimately, I wanna see him fight the best in the division.”

Additionally, Crawford added, “I wanna see him unify the division and shut these guys up who are saying, ‘he’s not this great fighter they think he is’. I wanna see those guys get in the ring with him.”

Stevenson has been waiting for a long time to take on top boxers such as Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, and Gervonta Davis. But to no avail.

However, he feels these boxers will eventually have to fight him for the title given that he currently holds the WBC lightweight belt. Moreover, another sports icon shares the same thoughts as ‘Bud’.

Joe Cordina, a former two-time super featherweight champion, admired Stevenson’s boxing abilities. The Welsh boxer was a rival to Stevenson before, but he still admires the latter’s talent. While talking to BoxingScene, Cordina said, “It’s mad, because I see loads of people giving him stick. But if you love the art of boxing, you can’t knock it. How can you knock that? He hits and doesn’t get hit. He’s smart.”

The 32-year-old further mentioned that Stevenson is among the best defensive fighters today. Cordina stated that he genuinely doesn’t understand why the Newark native is getting so much hate. He explained, “It’s people that just don’t see the art of boxing. All they want to see is knockouts.”

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‘GERVONTA CAN KILL THIS GUY’ – TANK DAVIS BACKS TO KO LOMA AND SHAKUR

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Gervonta Davis Vasiliy Lomachenko Shakur Stevenson

Jorge Linares feels Gervonta Davis stops Vasiliy Lomachenko and Shakur Stevenson.

Davis is one of the sport’s most devastating punchers. He is undefeated with a 30-0 record, 28 of which are knockout. He stopped Frank Martin in his last fight to retain his WBA Lightweight Title. After the fight, several names were mentioned for Tank’s next opponent. Both Loma and Shakur are in the running. Lomachenko was the favorite, with Davis saying he was next.

The Ukrainian had just picked up the vacant IBF Lightweight Title after stopping George Kambosos Jr. However, it appears Loma is not interested in the fight. His manager, Egis Klimas, has said Loma has no motivation for that challenge now as he will ponder his next move. Lomachenko is not the same fighter who had previously dominated the division.

Gervonta Davis vs. Vasily Lomachenko Lightweight Unification Fight In Jeopardy

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At 36, he has slowed down. His losses to Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez showed that. He was also vocal about considering retirement before the Kambosos fight. But he took the fight on his father’s advice, who did not want him to retire on a loss after the Haney fight. Linares was clear that Loma was not the same fighter.

“[Vasiliy] Lomachenko is a great fighter, amazing guy, amazing boxer. I fought with him, but it’s different. It’s a different time. Maybe four years ago, it would be 50/50. Now I believe Gervonta – we will see in that moment – maybe TKO, maybe some crazy KO.

“You know Gervonta is the guy who maybe wants to do the same plan as he did in the last fight [against Frank Martin]. Keep waiting and waiting. You know he received a couple of punches that night, but what happened after the sixth or seventh round? He waited for the moment, and he killed the guy. So maybe we can see the same situation with Lomachenko,” Linares said

That leaves Shakur as an alternative. Stevenson is a highly skilled boxer with great defense. But his defensive style has not gone down well with the fans. He was booed for his last two fights against Edwin De Los Santos and Artem Harutyunyan. That has made Shakur less of an attractive option. Davis has shown that he can walk down his opponents if they do not have the power. Shakur is not the biggest puncher, meaning he must do more to earn Tank’s respect. Martin was doing well in the fight until Davis closed the distance and knocked him out. Linares expects the same to happen if he fights Shakur.

“If Gervonta is fighting with Shakur [Stevenson], it’s more of an easy fight. “I like Shakur, but he has so many crazy things right now. For me, it’s more exciting to see Lomachenko with Gervonta. If that fight happens with Shakur, it’s easy. With Shakur, [Davis] can do whatever he wants to do – maybe decision, maybe KO. If that fight with Shakur can happen, I think Gervonta can kill this guy,” Linares stated

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‘PEOPLE SAY TANK’S DUCKING SHAKUR’ – GERVONTA DAVIS’ TRAINER TARGETS SHAKUR

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Gervonta Davis Shakur Stevenson

Gervonta Davis’ co-trainer, Kenny Ellis, wants to target a fight with Shakur Stevenson following the breakdown in talks with Vasiliy Lomachenko. 

Davis was in talks with Loma for a possible unification in November. Tank holds the WBA belt at 135, while Lomachenko has the IBF Belt. However, Lomachenko will take the rest of the year off, leaving Davis without an opponent. But now, the focus has turned towards Stevenson. Shakur is the WBC champion at 135, which still allows Davis to unify and chase undisputed.

Stevenson is a free agent following his last fight against Artem Harutyunyan. That makes a possible Davis fight much easier, given Shakur is not held down to a network. There is also an issue with rehydration clauses since they both make 135 pounds quite easily. Ellis was hoping to make that fight next.

Fans boo Shakur Stevenson and say he is 'not ready' for Gervonta Davis after 'boring' Edwin De Los Santos win | talkSPORT

READ: LOMACHENKO DUCKS TANK DAVIS – ‘LOMA IS NOT IN THE MOOD RIGHT NOW’

“Still salty about Lomachenko not agreeing to fight Tank. He is straight ducking. Hopefully, Shakur won’t duck. People say Tank’s ducking Shakur, let’s see,” Ellis said

Nevertheless, there are still issues with making this fight. The fight is not as big as it could have been due to Shakur’s recent performances. He was booed during his fight against Edwin De Los Santos. Shakur was fighting on the back foot as he won a unanimous decision. He defended the performance, saying he had an injury coming into the fight. But Shakur’s next performance against Artem also came under fire. Despite Shakur dominating the fight, he failed to stop his opponent.

Some fans were seen walking out of the arena before the last round. There were also some jeers from the crowd, although Shakur put that down to Arem’s reluctance to engage. Shakur is also not a big PPV draw. His style does not resonate with the fans, while Davis has shown he needs a big dance partner to sell. The Ryan Garcia fight sold over 1.2 million PPVs, with a live gate of over $20 million.

 

That was the highest-grossing boxing event in 2023, earning Davis approximately $50 million. The Shakur fight is unlikely to get anywhere near that. However, with legacy on the line, there is a feeling Davis must take that fight to avoid claims that he does not fight top-level opposition. Terence Crawford hoped Shakur could unify the division to shut down his critics.

“I would like to see Shakur Stevenson do exactly what he’s doing now. Keeping his name out there in the media, people are talking about him. I want see him fight the best in the [lightweight] division. [And] I want see him unify the division and shut these guys up who are saying, ‘He’s not this great fighter they think he is’. I want see those guys get in the ring with him,” Crawford said

Crawford is well aware of those struggles. He struggled to make the big fights during his time with Top Rank. He held the WBO title at 147 before leaving to chase the Errol Spence Jr. fight. Bud got the fight and stopped Spence to become the first Undisputed Welterweight Champion of the four-belt era. The win solidified his position as a future Hall-of-Famer. Shakur may need to follow the same blueprint to get his flowers.

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“His Career Is Just Starting”: Why Gervonta Davis vs. Vasyl Lomachenko Is Important for Tank’s Resume

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Gervonta Davis vs. Vasyl Lomachenko

After analyst, Stephen A. Smith prioritized Gervonta Davis vs. Shakur Stevenson over ‘Tank’ vs. Vasyl Lomachenko, Kenny Ellis, one of Davis’ trainers, echoed Smith and announced ‘Tank’ would face Shakur first in the ring.

Taking to Instagram, Ellis announced that Lomachenko would “step aside” for the time being and fight the winner of Shakur Stevenson vs. Gervonta Davis in 2025. Here, as Davis’ name is being linked to stars like Lomachenko and Shakur, ShowBizz the Adult believes the party is just getting started for ‘Tank’!

As per ShowBizz the Adult, even though Gervonta Davis has had 30 professional fights since his debut, it seems like ‘Tank’ has yet to expose his true potential to the public. This is something that makes Davis different from his contemporaries. So, in ShowBizz the Adult’s opinion, a fight against two-time Olympic gold medalist and current IBF Lightweight champion, Vasyl Lomachenko is essential to the growth of Davis’ resume.

READ: Gervonta Davis’ Coach Calls Out Floyd Mayweather for a Fight

“Gevonta Davis is talking about fighting Lomanchenko [and] I’m very high on that fight. But a lot of you guys would prefer ‘Tank’ vs. Shakur and prefer ‘Tank’ vs. ‘Pitbull’. And you know what that means? That Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis has left a lot on his plate,” began ShowBizz the Adult.

“I do like Gervonta’s resume. But, it feels like his career is just starting,” he added. According to him, one cannot feel the same about Devin Haney and Teofmio Lopez. “[But] for some reason, you get the feeling that we’re just introducing Gervonta – it’s almost like his career is just starting. There’s a lot on the damn plate other than beating Ryan Garcia,” ShowBizz the Adult concluded.

But, can Vasyl Lomachenko test Gervonta Davis aptly? What do experts think?

Just when we started talking about Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Gervonta Davis, analyst, Stephen A. Smith claimed that the Ukrainian boxer was deficient in power. And according to Smith, “if you can’t punch with power,” you do not have a chance against Gervonta Davis. So, while Smith acknowledged Lomachenko’s intelligence and skills, he was unsure about the latter’s fate against ‘Tank.’ But, Shakur Stevenson felt otherwise.

As per Shakur’s understanding, although Lomachenko is about to exit his prime, the Ukrainian boxer is “no pushover.” “With the experience he’s got and the knowledge, I think it could be a tremendous fight,” Stevenson had said. And echoing Shakur, CEO of Top Rank,Bob Arum had declared, “We’re up for that fight [Davis]. Lomachenko’s up for that.” In Arum’s opinion, Lomachenko vs. Davis has the potential to exceed Davis vs. Shakur as far as financial gain was concerned.

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Gervonta Davis’ Coach Calls Out Floyd Mayweather for a Fight

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Floyd Mayweather Gervonta Davis

“I’m the best ever, nobody can beat me,” Floyd Mayweather once declared.

With his mastery of the Philly shell and the shoulder roll, Mayweather retired from the professional boxing scene with an undefeated record of 50-0. Many have tried to breach the impregnable fortress, including Manny Pacquiao and Canelo Alvarez—but none have succeeded. Mayweather made even the greatest fighters look like amateurs.

Astonishingly, he has never been knocked down by an opponent’s punch. But now, the big question is: can the new generation of boxers take him down?

Floyd Mayweather Gervonta Davis

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The legendary boxing coach Kenny Ellis believes Gervonta Davis might be the one to crack the Mayweather code. Ellis is calling for a showdown between Davis and Mayweather, the bad blood and the compelling story of former partners facing off acting as the backdrop.

It’s a grudge match with a narrative that could make for an electrifying fight. What do you think? Is Davis the fighter who can finally challenge Mayweather’s legacy? Or should Mayweather let this insult by Kenny slide?

After John Gotti 3, will Money choose Davis to be his next opponent? Davis’ trainer has thrown down the gauntlet, and the ball, clearly, is in Mayweather’s court. Will, one of the greatest boxers of all time “stop spinning the fans” and give them an epic showdown?

Taking to Instagram, Davis’ trainer wrote, “Gervonta Davis can decode the shoulder roll if Floyd can fight another exhibition. He can fight another fight if he is great as he says he is. Let’s stop spinning the fans, Gervonta vs Floyd.”

‘Tank’ was once a hopeful prospect working for the Mayweather Promotions. However, after leaving Mayweather Promotions in 2022, before his fight against Rolly Romero, the uber-successful Davis with an undefeated boxing record has been at loggerheads with ‘Money’.

Mayweather had dreams of turning Davis into one of the biggest stars of his promotion. After all, he went to great lengths to make Davis sign the dotted line. “Uh, no I asked [was] what [Floyd] for the whole summer before I signed with him you know before I even you know signed anything on paper he already bought me cars, he bought me jewelry, and things like that.” Gervonat once told in an interview. But it wasn’t meant to be. Although they parted ways on friendly terms in 2022, bitterness crept in when Davis alleged that Mayweather stopped him from training in his gym before his fight against Ryan Garcia. But, later, the duo was seen celebrating in the ring after Davis beat ‘King Ry.

Safe to say, it has been a rocky on-again off-again professional relationship between them, with unresolved issues coming to the fore in the last couple of months. Of late, Davis even warned fighters to not sign with Floyd’s promotional company. “If you sign with this fraud..he will…[mess] up ya career…he’s not a good businessman at all,” He wrote on his Instagram story.

Accusations have been coming in thick and fast from both sides with Floyd reportedly taking a dig at Davis indirectly, claiming that fighters nowadays spend their money on frivolous things rather than saving it for a rainy day or investing it. To that, Davis responded by revealing that Floyd was held hostage in Dubai because of unpaid debts.

All things considered, the backstory is enticing enough to make for a blockbuster PPV draw. Moreover, it gives a chance for Floyd to break another record. Assuming, he takes up the challenge against the current WBA lightweight world title holder, he would have the chance of becoming the oldest world champion in the sport, joining the esteemed company of Bernard Hopkins and George Foreman.

Will the 47-year-old fighter dare to make it 51-0 in the professional circuit? Or, will he proceed to duck the 29-year-old Davis and stick to lucrative exhibition fights against opponents who are of no match to him? Nevertheless, one can only imagine what would happen when an unstoppable force like Davis, with 28 KOs in 30 fights, goes up against an immovable object like Mayweather.

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