Boxing
Fighting Words: Shakur Stevenson Asks for Our Patience, and Tries to Keep It
Published
3 months agoon
He was an undefeated boxer, a boxing expert who had won world titles in three weight classes and had recently parted ways with Top Rank, his longtime promoter, in search of a bigger payday. But when the huge fight everyone wanted to see him in didn’t come, he went a different route—taking a fight with a smaller opponent that would keep him busy, and he took a lot of flak for it.
And in the very next fight Terence Crawford knocked out Errol Spence.
That’s what came to mind earlier this week when I learned about Shakur Stevenson’s next fight, his first since parting ways with Top Rank. Stevenson is not Terence Crawford. At least not yet. There are still some situational parallels.
Stevenson is also a three-time titleholder, having reigned at featherweight and junior lightweight before his current WBC lightweight title. Stevenson recently left Top Rank after spending his entire seven-year professional career with the organization, turning down a $3 million fight offer.
Stevenson’s name later appeared in two critical matches, one against WBA titleholder Gervonta Davis and the other against mandatory challenger William Zepeda. Instead Stevenson will face Joe Cordinaformer 130-pound titleholder who lost by technical knockout. Stevenson vs. Cordina will take place on October 12th on the pay-per-view undercard alongside Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
A few days after this announcement came another one: Stevenson signs with promoter Matchroom BoxingReports later emerged that the pair were initially set to share two fights.
For a player who is already facing a wave of disapproval, these moves will certainly do little to peaceful the situation.
Stevenson has taken the incoming fire, some fair, some not, after his last two wins. In November 2023, he scored a dismal victory over Edwin De Los Santos on a night in which both fighters they landed just 105 punches in total over 12 rounds. Stevenson landed 65 of them while throwing just .209, meaning he averaged about 5-of-17 per round. As for power punches, Stevenson had just 19-of-52, meaning he landed about four power punches per round and landed fewer than two. Most of his otherwise constrained offensive output came in the form of straights.
But then it turned out that Stevenson struggled with injuries. The next fight would probably be better, we thought. Then came Stevenson’s sweeping victory in July over Artem Harutyunyan. Stevenson’s offensive numbers were much better: he had 170 of 446 total, including 126 of 284 power punches. Still, Stevenson was so clearly superior to Harutyunyan that many thought he could have done more to dominate the attack.
Stevenson later placed even greater emphasis on defending himself on social media than he did in the ring, further infuriating his critics.
When Stevenson left Top Rank, critics wondered if Stevenson had overrated himself. They thought he hadn’t done enough to be a draw. They didn’t like his style. They didn’t like his substance.
So the fact that he’ll be facing Cordina and not Davis or Zepeda doesn’t support his case.
It’s no surprise that he chose Cordina. It’s also understandable that he’s irate about his choice.
Cordina, who is also a Matchroom Boxing fighter, has been on Stevenson’s radar since 2022. The Cardiff-based fighter expressed interest in facing Stevenson this yearand then knocked out Kenichi Ogawa to win the IBF junior lightweight title. Stevenson, who was also in the 130-pound weight class at the time, I congratulated Cordina and said he would cross the Atlantic Ocean to face him. The interactions between them were full of respect. Cordina even he defended Stevenson after the fight with Harutyunyan.
In return, Stevenson defended Cordina in his shocking loss to Anthony Cacace.
“He was delicate fighting at 130” Stevenson recently posted on Xbefore the Cordina fight was officially announced. “He’s a really good fighter, he just sucks [himself] “he did what he shouldn’t have done.”
However, the fight is a lot less appealing now that Cordina is coming off a loss in May. When you add in the expectations that we’re potentially on the border of Stevenson vs. Zepeda or Davis, the disappointment is even greater.
Stevenson has tested our patience. And now he asks for even more.
We should expect more from fighters like Stevenson. We want clearly outstanding talents and those who claim them to be tested against the best, not waste their time or ours.
2024 will go down in history as a year to forget for Stevenson in the ring. This could turn out to be a business decision, an investment attempt that Stevenson hopes will pay dividends in 2025.
“This is a business and in this business you have to make as much money as possible” Stevenson posted a few days ago“People want me to sit around and wait for literally every other player to show up. [their] decision whether they want to fight me now or later, but in reality I’ll wait and wait. But no, I’m [gonna] “Go and bring me that bag quickly, because it’s the most critical thing to me now.”
In particular, it concerns Matchroom’s cooperation with Turki Alalshikh, who financed boxing cards on behalf of Saudi Arabia, probably as part of an effort to change the narrative about the country and its regime. Although “Riyadh Season” Alalshikh currently works with several promoters, including Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank, his biggest shows usually take place alongside Matchroom and Queensberry Promotions.
Stevenson I spoke briefly with Alalshikh earlier this month at the first Riyadh Season event in the United States, headlined by Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov. Now, he’ll be in the latest long-form Riyadh Season fight, among six fights whose fighters are willing to accept a lower payday in exchange for that payday and the possibility of a bigger one.
Stevenson may believe he can be the star of the season in Riyadh next year. And he may hope that the substantial checks Alalshikh hands out can attract better opponents than Cordina.
After all, there are no real contenders in the Matchroom stable for the lightweight division. Looking at the rankings Ring and International Boxing Rankings Councilis Matchroom’s Andy Cruz, the 2020/2021 Olympic gold medalist who recently turned pro and is just 4-0 (2 KOs). Queensberry has Mark Chamberlain (16-0, 12 KOs).
Zepeda is with Golden Boy, which, like Matchroom, is a broadcast partner of DAZN. Oscar De La Hoya with Golden Boy initially he said he wouldn’t fight Stevenson unless he signed with De La Hoya. But then Golden Boy began looking to leverage Zepeda’s position as mandatory challenger for Stevenson’s WBC belt.
Boxing reporter Mike Coppinger of ESPN claims that Zepeda’s wife is due to give birth soon, “so he wasn’t available.” However, boxing reporter Jake “Jazz Hands of Stone” Donovan of RingTV.com claims that multiple sources have told him that “Zepeda has not yet resigned from his position as mandatory challenger.” And if Zepeda were to pass on that fight, next in line would be Top Rank fighter Raymond Muratalla.
“Alalshikh has done this before, in fact with every event announced in Riyadh this season. There were two previous instances where a title fight was announced before it was confirmed by the sanctioning body,” Donovan wrote.
BoxingScene’s Declan Warrington I spoke to Eddie Hearn from Matchroom on Stevenson’s short-term deal and his travel plan for the player.
“The first step of the plan is Joe Cordina, October 12, and if he wins there, Zepeda in February, and then we’ll move on from there,” Hearn said. “It’s a two-fight deal so we can get into the relationship, show Shakur what we can do and build his profile, probably for the Gervonta Davis fight next summer if he keeps winning.”
It seems there are still a lot of things that need to be ironed out, both about Stevenson’s participation in the show on October 12 and what might await him in 2025.
Will Alalshikh’s connections to Golden Boy and Top Rank convince Zepeda and Muratalla to leave?
Will the WBC give preference to those who will make it more money, as the sanctioning body often does?
Does Stevenson’s Matchroom contract only tie him to DAZN? Will Matchroom and Stevenson extend their business agreement after these two fights, or will Stevenson look to move on and take advantage of being a promotional free agent?
Does Stevenson’s departure from Top Rank mean he won’t be welcome to fight against its sizable stable of lightweights, including Vasiliy Lomachenko and Muratalla? Would Top Rank be willing to let some of its 135-pound fighters fight against their own broadcast partner in ESPN?
If Stevenson were to stay with Matchroom longer, could the Gervonta Davis fight happen, given Tank’s superstardom and the fact that Premier Boxing Champions and Amazon Prime Video would obviously want to be involved? Could it be co-promoted and co-broadcast with DAZN? That’s what happened with the Crawford-Madrimov card, which featured several PBC fighters.
Many of these answers won’t matter until 2025. For now, the Cordina fight is a disappointment, just as Crawford vs. Avanesyan wasn’t exactly a consolation prize compared to Crawford vs. Spence.
Seven months later, no one was complaining about Avanesyan’s fight.
With this in mind, a little patience — but not too much — may be in order.
Time — hopefully not too long — will tell.
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Boxing
George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team
Published
5 hours agoon
November 23, 2024Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos approached promoter Eddie Hearn asking for more massive fights.
Kambosos has signed a co-promotional deal with Eddie Hearn, under which the Greek-Australian slugger will continue his association with DiBella Entertainment Inc. and his own company, Ferocious Promotions.
The 21-3 star will move up to the super lightweight division of Matchroom Boxing’s lively division. He aims to become a two-weight world champion in early 2025, and as part of the deal, a title fight is promised as long as he continues to win.
Since his stunning victory over Teofimo Lopez, Kambosos has never shied away from competing against the best. Those three losses on his resume came to Devin Haney [twice] and Vasily Lomachenko, all at home and all for world titles.
The 31-year-old is now set to face compatriot Liam Paro after defending his IBF title against Richardson Hitchins in December in Puerto Rico.
“I am thrilled to be working with Matchroom Boxing. I am excited to have signed a three-way promotional cooperation agreement with my long-time promoter DiBella Entertainment Inc. and Ferocious Promotions,” Kambosos said.
“I made great success and history when I moved up the Matchroom shows by winning my UK elimination fight against Lee Selby. The most noteworthy and unforgettable is my victory against Teofimo at Madison Square Garden in Up-to-date York to become the 135-pound world champion.
“I am officially announcing that I will be moving up to 140 pounds and signing with Matchroom will ensure my continued success and the legacy I want to leave in the sport of boxing.”
Hearn, who adds an experienced campaigner to his stable, added: “I am delighted to welcome George to the team. George’s victory over Teofimo tore up the script and showed that George was the man for the massive time. He has proven to be a huge attraction in Australia and one of the real driving forces behind the rapid growth of boxing Down Under.
“The 140-pound division is full of massive names and massive potential fights. Adding George to the mix only elevates the level, and a possible fight with Liam Paro is a truly appetizing prospect. If Liam manages to win in a great fight against Richardson on December 7th [the fight could be on].
Lou DiBella, who has worked with Kambosos for years, said: “I’m glad I was able to make a deal with my antique buddy Eddie to work with George Kambosos Jr. and Ferocious Promotions.
“Throughout his career, George has been a fighter who has never shied away from a challenge, and now he wants to test himself against top junior welterweights.
Matchroom works with top 140-pounders, including George’s compatriot Liam Paro, and, like DiBella Entertainment, is heavily invested in Australia.
“It’s a natural partnership,” added the Up-to-date Yorker.
Boxing
Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul
Published
2 days agoon
November 21, 2024One of the hottest topics surrounding Mike Tyson’s return at the age of 58 was the possibility of the boxing legend scoring a knockout of Jake Paul.
WBN has weighed in on this topic several times, questioning the validity of five-second training clips that revealed nothing about Tyson’s abilities at this overdue age. One of the most intriguing observations during the preparations was the opinion of UFC commentator Daniel Cormier.
Speaking on his show “Funky and the Champ,” Cormier reflected on Tyson’s social media videos and offered an informed opinion on the meaning of the clips.
“I understand that [he is in amazing shape at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels as though he can compete]– Cormier said. “And I agree that when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro, it looks like there’s still something left in him.
“But then I watch Jake Paul fight Mike Perry. I saw Jake Paul get overwhelmed to the point where he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But Jake has a reserve tank he can go to and benefit from because he’s 28 years ancient. Then he comes back and finally finishes Mike Perry.
“At the beginning of the fight, Mike Perry gets beaten up and dropped. He looks trained and unmatched. This worries me because what if it looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man while Mike can’t employ the backup tank to stay and compete with this newborn kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.
He added: “What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over. Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like that has ever happened in the history of the sport.”
Unfortunately for Tyson, this revenge backfired spectacularly, as the former heavyweight champion’s return was the only event that bombed. Tyson had nothing left twenty years after he had nothing left in his tank and no desire to box in his mind.
Paul parlayed this into a money-making scheme that would forever be a success for him and his company, but would be poorly received by the die-hard boxing fraternity.
Cormier’s words resonate, especially after what happened in the ring when Mike Tyson struggled to shift into first gear, warning former fighters thinking about returning after 50.
Boxing
Lauren Price looks to win Jonas vs Habazin with an undercard victory
Published
2 days agoon
November 21, 2024Lauren Price MBE will defend her world title for the first time on Saturday, December 14 at the Exhibition Center in Liverpool, while the Welsh champion plans to stage an all-British unification clash with welterweight rival Natasha Jonas, which will headline the Collision Course that night.
Price defends her WBA welterweight title against undefeated Colombian challenger Bexcy Mateus on the same night as Jonas attempts to unify the IBF and WBC titles with Ivana Habazin as part of BOXXER’s ‘Collision Course’ fight night, which can be seen live and exclusively on Sky Sports in the UK UK and Ireland and Peacock in the US.
Price MBE (7-0, 1 KO) made history with an excellent performance, defeating former undisputed welterweight world ruler Jessica McCaskill in front of her fans in Cardiff in May.
Price, the first Welsh boxer to win Olympic gold, once again entered the record books by becoming the country’s first world champion in just her seventh professional fight. The 30-year-old from Ystrad Mynach, who has yet to lose a round as a professional, will now defend her world titles for the first time as she focuses on dominating the welterweight division.
Mateus (7-0, 6 KO), ranked No. 5 in the WBA rankings, is undefeated in the professional ranks and has won all but one of her seven fights by knockout. The 29-year-old from Bogota, fighting outside her native Colombia for the first time, will now have her first chance at global fame, with her goal to dethrone Price and take the top spot in the welterweight division.
Lauren Price said: “I’m excited to defend my belts and complete what has been an crucial year for me. I have full respect for Mateusz. I will prove that I am the best in the division and I will not let anything or anyone stand in my way of being undisputed.”
BOXXER Founder and CEO Ben Shalom said: “It’s a massive night for the women’s welterweight division with three world champions competing. Natasha Jonas returns to her hometown for a mandatory unification fight against Ivana Habazin, and Lauren Price defends her world titles against undefeated challenger Bexcy Mateus. The fight for the undisputed continues. If Natasha and Lauren win on December 14, it will set the stage for a massive “Battle Of Britain” world title unification fight next year.
There’s reason to celebrate as BOXXER delivers a Christmas cracker to end the year. In addition to the world championship fights between Natasha Jonas and Lauren Price, fight fans can expect a gala full of drama and entertainment.
Undefeated Irishman Stephen McKenna (15-0, 14 KO) will face English champion Lee Cutler (14-1, 7 KO) in an invigorating super welterweight fight for the silver WBC International title.
McKenna impressed fans in his three-round fight against Joe Laws last August at Oakwell Stadium in Barnsley. The two struck out in the first round, then McKenna began to apply the pressure, losing Laws three more times and maintaining his undefeated record after a third-round stoppage.
English cruiserweight champion Viddal Riley (11-0, 6 KO) returns to action from a rib injury that has kept him out of the ring since a career-best victory over Mikael Lawal in March. Riley will be looking to shake off the ring rust as he takes on high-profile opponents in the recent year.
Undefeated Chorley super middleweight Mark Jeffers (18-0, 5 KO) scored an explosive fifth-round knockout victory over Darren Johnston in May and will be looking to bring more drama to Liverpool’s Exhibition Center as he goes in search of his 19th professional win.
Mason Cartwright (20-4-1, 8 KO) from Cheshire, a former two-time British title challenger from Ellesmere Port, will be counting on local support as he returns to the title track.
After signing a promotional contract with BOXXER, local star Frankie Stringer (8-0, 1 KO) can achieve his third victory in 2024, when he returns in front of his fans in Liverpool. The 23-year-old lightweight fighter is a player of the notable city team Rotunda ABC, and his manager is former world champion Liam Smith.
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