Hearn Expects Stevenson To Join Zuffa

Eddie Hearn has revealed he expects Shakur Stevenson to sign with Zuffa Boxing, while raising pointed questions about whether Dana White's promotion can sustain the financial model that has made it such an attractive destination for elite fighters.

"I just don't know who they're going to put him in with. Zuffa are paying these guys five times more than anybody else is paying. Are you going to put Shakur in against O'Shaquie Foster and give him $15 million? Good luck to Shakur, but it's a weird model, and it's a model that's not going to last very long," Hearn said

Stevenson became a four-weight world champion on January 31 with a win over Teofimo Lopez for the WBO junior welterweight title under the Matchroom banner. His departure to Zuffa, if confirmed, would represent another significant signing loss for Hearn — coming after Conor Benn's move to White's promotion in circumstances that have since generated legal disputes and ongoing friction between the two camps.

White has hinted publicly at his interest in signing both Stevenson and Devin Haney, with the implicit suggestion being that bringing both unbeaten champions under the same promotional roof could facilitate the blockbuster matchup between them that the sport has been discussing. Stevenson has also been linked with Ryan Garcia, whose WBC welterweight title fight against Benn on September 12 will shape the welterweight landscape heading into the end of the year.

Hearn's sustainability argument is the sharpest part of his response. Zuffa's model — reportedly paying Benn $15 million for a single fight against Regis Prograis — works when the commercial returns justify the outlay. The question of whether those returns hold up when the opponent is O'Shaquie Foster rather than a name that drives pay-per-view numbers is a legitimate one.