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Shakur Stevenson reigns supreme, but is still hunting for bigger tests

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After fielding boxing’s version of an almost no-hitter in the World Series, defeating Teofimo Lopez Jr. and winning the WBO junior welterweight title in front of 21,324 fans at Madison Square Garden in Modern York, Shakur Stevenson separated himself from his peers.

Being on the outside watching the recent version of boxing’s “Four Kings” (Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, Gervonta Davis and Lopez), Stevenson built his dynasty, defeated the King and became a four-division champion.

He was patient and waited for an opportunity to strike. He just needed a willing opponent and he found one in Lopez. Stevenson, 28, entered the fight by increasing weight, which put him at a disadvantage against Lopez. Unfortunately for Lopez, a few pounds couldn’t make up for the significant skill gap, and Stevenson lost only one round on all three judges’ scorecards.

“Finally someone took the bait,” Stevenson said during his post-fight press conference. “I’ve been begging for this moment and I finally got it.”

Now the immediate question is where it will go next. After losing weight, money and a starring role to prove his worth in previous fights, Stevenson (25-0, 11 KO) no longer has to sell out to fight the biggest names in the sport. However, as he continues his pursuit of greatness and climbs the ladder pound for pound, Stevenson will continue to challenge himself.

While he could look undisputed at 140 pounds while chasing fights against titleholders Richardson Hitchins (IBF), Gary Antuanne Russell (WBA) and Dalton Smith (WBC), will any of these names add to his legacy? Neither of them would be favored to beat him and would likely come off as a significant underdog. For Stevenson, his next move will likely involve putting himself in another perceived disadvantage to even the playing field.

Enter Conor Benn.

Benn is not a world champion, but the idea that he recently moved up two weight classes from welterweight to middleweight to beat Chris Eubank Jr. is tempting to Stevenson.

“There is a player here at the moment and he motivated me tonight too. Where is Conor Benn?” Stevenson asked in the ring after the victory. “Conor Benn, we could do this, boy. I want the same irrigation clause you used [Chris] Eubank Jr. and I want this fight.

“Sign the contract. Let’s make it happen.”

There is a method to Stevenson’s madness and it has little to do with collecting world champion titles.

“People compare Floyd Mayweather to Terence Crawford, but Floyd was never the undisputed champion,” Stevenson told ESPN before the Lopez fight. “I’m not starting this debate because in my opinion neither one is better than the other, but people keep swearing that Floyd is better than Bud, even though Terence was undisputed in three weight classes and went from 147 pounds to 168 pounds.

“Do seat belts matter to society as much as they do to us?”

Stevenson is right. In terms of legacy, it was more about taking on the biggest challenges than collecting world titles. An ordinary fan often has no idea what world titles are being fought for and is more interested in the fight.

“I like substantial fights,” Stevenson said. “I like substantial money fights. I like to prove that I’m the best and do things that people say I can’t do. There are people who say I’m too diminutive for Conor Benn and that means an amazing fight.”

Stevenson also told ESPN that he sees opponents at 147 and 154 pounds that he thinks he can beat, so it’s not out of the question that he could move up a weight class or two in his next fight. He has long been on the hunt for a fight with current welterweight champion Devin Haney, and if Ryan Garcia defeats Mario Barrios to become the WBC welterweight champion next month, that would be another opponent that could be in his sights.

At this rate, Stevenson will eventually go from hunter to hunted. His victory over Lopez proved that he is virtually unbeatable on equal terms. Throughout his professional career, he rarely lost a round, much less came close to losing a fight. He has proven that he is almost good and needs to find a way to put himself at a disadvantage to challenge himself.

We’re in our prime and Stevenson continues his remarkable run of proving himself as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Can anyone stop him from achieving his goal?

This seems quite unlikely at the moment.

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Boxing

Terence Crawford names one fight he would like to see against Gervonta Davis this year

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Terence Crawford names one fight he wants to see Gervonta Davis make happen this year

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.

Since then The 31-year-old was recognized by the WBA as a “breaktime champion”.urged by No. 1 contender Floyd Schofield to book their fight or give him a free shot at the title.

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.

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Deontay Wilder’s opponents are leaving after Anthony Joshua’s snub

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Deontay Wilder with Andy Ruiz Jr and Moses Itauma as next fight options

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.

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Boxing

The Errol Spence Jr vs Tim Tszyu fight will take place on July 26 in Australia

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Image: Errol Spence Fires Back at 'Washed' Claims

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.

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