Stevenson Names Mayweather as Dream Opponent

Shakur Stevenson wants to test his boxing IQ against the best defensive mind the sport has ever produced.

Asked on the Ball in the Family Podcast which fighter from any era he would most want to face, Stevenson did not hesitate: "Floyd Mayweather. No question. Only reason why I say him though is because to me he was one of the smartest fighters I ever seen. I feel like my pedigree of IQ, me in front of him, who would be able to out-think each other. To me that interests me."

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Stevenson has built his own career on similar principles. The four-weight world champion, who became the WBO lightweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">super-lightweight titleholder in January with a unanimous decision over Teofimo Lopez, has long operated as one of the sport's premier tacticians — a fighter who controls distance, conserves energy, and punishes opponents for errors rather than hunting for the finish. The question of how that style would interact with Mayweather's is genuinely interesting.

Mayweather finished his career at 50-0, claiming world titles across five weight classes and beating a generation of the sport's best fighters. Oscar De La Hoya, Canelo Alvarez, and Manny Pacquiao all fell short. The Pacquiao fight shattered gate and pay-per-view records. The rematch, originally announced for September before being postponed, may now take place in early 2027.

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Stevenson's present situation is its own complicated picture. He became a four-weight champion at 27 and has the kind of skill set that should generate significant fights, but the matchmaking around him has moved slowly since the Lopez win. Haney talks have stalled over the catchweight dispute.

Whether he ever gets the fights that fully test that intelligence at the highest level depends on what the next twelve months produce.