Stevenson Names Russell As Backup

Shakur Stevenson wants Devin Haney for his October Zuffa Boxing debut.

Gary Antuanne Russell, the WBA junior welterweight champion, emerged as Stevenson's preferred backup option in a recent interview with Fighthype, and Stevenson did not frame it as a consolation prize.

"Truthfully, he might be the one that gives me one of the hardest fights. I done sparred with that dude a million times, and that dude is one of the toughest dudes that I done been in the ring with. He don't got no quit in him. He's a real deal stepper like me. Stylistically, he could be one of the guys that give me one of my hardest fights. He's the type of guy that backs me up in the corner and I got to fight. Let's fight now. I got to show y'all I'm good at this too,” Stevenson

Shakur public assessments of challengers tend toward the dismissive — the confidence that has defined his promotional style does not usually leave room for admissions that someone might genuinely push him. The Russell comments are different, grounded in years of shared training rather than fight week positioning, and they land accordingly.

Russell has been inside the gym with Stevenson enough times for both men to have a clear picture of how a fight between them would actually unfold. Stevenson's reading is that Russell's style — relentless pressure, no quit, the type that corners opponents and forces exchanges — is the kind that causes problems specifically for him.

"I would like maybe Antuanne, Gary Antuanne. Antuanne, I think me and Antuanne should be a big fight. I know he was talking about getting the belts before, but if you didn't start the process of getting the belts, then me and you probably could get in there and rumble right now. It ain't really no point of waiting,” Shakur

If Russell is pursuing a belt consolidation route, the matchup gets complicated by mandatory challengers and sanctioning body obligations. Stevenson is suggesting they cut through that and fight now, while both are available and the interest is mutual.