Boxers talk about playing well. This is what they do. Even quieter fighters like Shakur Stevenson tend to make noise with their words, no matter how gentle those words may or may not sound. But after this past weekend, Stevenson could strut around Up-to-date York City with a bull’s trumpet, shouting his greatness, and no one could rightfully question the man. Jersey resident (can you call it another name?) great Teofimo Lopez’s one-sided strike on Saturday night was so impressive that it will probably be remembered for a long time.
On Saturday, facing the brash Lopez in a sold-out Madison Square Garden, Stevenson took control and kept it. Apart from perhaps a round or two over the course of twelve rounds, Stevenson completely dominated the usually excellent Lopez. It wasn’t even that Lopez had a bad night. Stevenson was just that good. Maintaining range, dazzling with pristine, quick and correct shots and dominating the pace with his superb southpaw jab, the undefeated Stevenson left the ring with a victory, the WBO junior welterweight title and the reputation of a bona fide superstar. It was a special night for the 28-year-old, and for American boxing, which is in need of a up-to-date face now that Terence Crawford has retired.
The truth, however, is that there is no one who can beat Stevenson at the moment. Devin Haney probably has the best chance, but he fights at welterweight, while Stevenson fought as a lightweight before Saturday’s fight. Conor Benn is a very real possibility, although he, like Haney, is a bigger man than Stevenson. Still, it’s effortless to see Stevenson gaining weight and easily outperforming the talented Englishman. As great as Saturday night was for Stevenson, it puts him in an intriguing position – one where no truly lauded opponent will want to face him. Even if Gervonta Davis overcomes her legal woes and is willing to boost weight for Stevenson, it’s demanding to expect this fight to happen any time soon, at least in part because of the political mess that still dominates much of the current boxing landscape.
However, anyone in Stevenson’s overall weight class who has talent and a good track record will look foolish avoiding this man. Ultimately, Stevenson proved he was the guy.
Terence Crawford has named an opponent he would “love to face” with Gervonta Davis in his expected return to the sport.
The former world champion hasn’t fought since March 2025, when many felt he was lucky to draw with Lamont Roach.
Nevertheless, “Tank” retained the WBA lightweight title and was scheduled to face Roach in an immediate rematch before negotiating an exhibition match with Jake Paul.
But instead of spending time with the YouTuber-turned-boxer, Davis was forced to deal with domestic violence allegations from his former partner, Courtney Rossel.
Davis, however, has expressed greater interest in a rematch with Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz at 140 pounds, even though he passed the Mexican in 2021.
Meanwhile, Crawford has no desire to watch “Tank” fight Schofield or Cruz, but he would happily sit back and watch him clash with Shakur Stevenson.
I’m talking to Danielle Pirello“Bud” called the WBO super lightweight world champion the perfect opponent for Davis, believing their potential meeting would be one of the best fights that could be had.
“I’d like to see Shakur vs. ‘Tank’ Davis.”
Stevenson had previously called on Davis to sign a contract several times, perhaps making him increasingly doubtful whether the Baltimore player would ever sign.
Therefore, it is unrealistic to expect an immediate fight between “Tank” and Stevenson, especially after the latter’s dominant performance against Teofimo Lopez in January.
Two credible opponents emerged after Deontay Wilder vs. Anthony Joshua finally fell after an eight-year battle for the fight.
As World Boxing News documents from start to finish, after nearly a decade of back-and-forth, a Wilder-Joshua fight is no longer an option.
Joshua now has bigger fish to fry in the UK in 2026 as the former two-time heavyweight champion pushes for a British superfight with Tyson Fury.
Promoter Eddie Hearn effectively ruled out Wilder as a warm-up opponent, leaving the Londoner’s next moves without the “Brown Bomber” involved.
After the summer warm-up, Fury’s double will follow and by the time Joshua is finally free, Wilder will be 42 years aged.
This causes Wilder to look elsewhere.
Deontay Wilder’s opponents
Joshua’s compatriot Moses Itauma has already called for a fight, putting himself in a risky clash with one of the best fighters in the division.
Itauma is already shunned and would be seen as a bad turn for Wilder.
However, what stands out is a potential Pay-Per-View showdown in the United States with Andy Ruiz Jr.
The two were linked to fights between 2020 and 2023, when, ironically, the Tyson Fury trilogy stalled before Ruiz’s contract situation made any agreement impossible.
As previously reported by WBN, talks on financial terms were finally broken off when the fight was already clearly decided.
The interest never went away. WBN also revealed how fan demand for the Wilder vs. Ruiz match had skyrocketed, generating millions of views as fans insisted that the fight would finally happen.
Now, after their September showdown at Allegiant Stadium, Wilder vs. Ruiz is the front-runner if either fighter is to return to the heavyweight world title hunt.
Following Joshua’s departure from the table, Wilder’s next move is under scrutiny and calls for a rematch with Derek Chisora are met with an extremely lukewarm reception.
Whether he takes on an emerging name like Itauma or returns to unfinished business with Ruiz, this decision will impact how he re-enters the heavyweight scene.
The title isn’t out of the question for Wilder, but the next move has to be the right one.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Since 2010, he has interviewed world champions, published exclusive international performances and reported on in-ring performances. His work is distributed on major platforms including Apple News. Read the full biography.
Rafael reported that sources indicate that the junior middleweight fight is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, July 26, in Australia, which means the U.S. broadcast will take place on Saturday evening, July 25.
If finalized, it would be Spence’s first fight since his loss to Terence Crawford in July 2023. The former welterweight champion has spent a long period out of the ring, which would also mean him moving up to junior middleweight against an opponent who is naturally bigger and more busy.
This makes it a challenging return task rather than a unthreatening tune-up. Spence will return after almost three years away overseas and will face a fighter who has already operated at a world-class level in the division. This July will mark approximately 36 months since Spence’s last fight. At the age of 36, such passivity is arduous for most people.
Tim Tszyu is also trying to maintain his standing in front of the home crowd after a recent arduous run. Still, he remains one of the stronger names at 154 and brings size, pressure and knowledge of the weight.
The schedule provides a clear commercial window for both sides, with the Australian stadium-style afternoon event morphing neatly into Saturday night on American television.
Nothing is official until the contracts are signed, but if it does happen, Spence will take the risk immediately. Many players at the end of the break ask for something more fragile. This one goes the other way.
Robert Segal is a boxing reporter at Boxing News 24 with over a decade of experience covering fight news, previews and analysis. Known for his first-hand reporting and in-ring perspective, he delivers authoritative coverage of champions, challengers and emerging talent from around the world.
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