Shakur Stevenson’s Deal With Matchroom – Who Does He Fight Next?
Shakur Stevenson’s deal with Matchroom Boxing has raised question marks over who he should fight next.
Stevenson joined Matchroom Boxing, where he will face Joe Cordina on October 12 on the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol fight. Shakur will defend his WBC Lightweight Title with the hope of eventually securing the Gervonta Davis fight. It is unclear if it is a one-fight deal with Matchroom or if there is the potential for a longer deal.
Shakur At 135
The options available for Shakur with Matchroom at 135 pounds are limited. There are three possible names: Andy Cruz, Cameron Vuong and Gary Cully. Cruz is well-known and has an extensive amateur record. Cruz defeated Keywshawn Davis numerous times in the amateurs, showing he has pedigree. He is still new to the pro ranks with a 4-0 record, which includes two stoppages.
While he is a skilful fighter, it is a big risk to face Cruz, knowing that a loss would damage Shakur’s brand. It is also a risk for Cruz to take this fight early, especially since Hearn has labelled him as someone who could beat Gervonta Davis. Vuong is 5-0 with 3 knockouts, while Cully is more established with an 18-1 record. A fight with Cully also allows Shakur to fight in the UK. Cully bounced back from his first loss against Jose Felix to win his last two fights.
Shakur At 140
Outside of that, Shakur must move up to 140 if he cannot secure the Gervonta Davis fight. Matchroom has the following fighters at 140. Liam Paro, Subriel Matias, Regis Prograis, Jack Catterall and Devin Haney, who works closely with them. A fight with Paro offers Shakur the chance to win the IBF belt and become a four-weight champion. Paro is coming off the best win of his career as he beat Matias to get the belt.
A Matias fight is dangerous, given that he has knocked out all of his opponents except for Paro and Petros Ananyan in a 20-2 record. Alternatively, Stevenson could box the winner of Catterall vs. Prograis. Catterall is chasing a world title, while Prograis is a former WBC Junior Welterweight Champion. A fight with Haney has also been talked about for some time.
The Dream made a 25 percent offer for the fight at 135. It never happened as Haney moved up. While Devin has teased a move up to 147, he could box Shakur at 140 before doing so. If Shakur gets some big wins under his belt in an impressive fashion, it will increase his stock with the hope of fighting Tank Davis. Either way, Shakur wanted all the smoke.
Shakur’s Aim
“I’ve made it clear that I want the biggest names and the biggest fights in the sport. Bring on William Zepeda at the top of 2025, and I’m ready for anyone who is brave enough to step in the ring with me. There have been few willing to take on that challenge in recent years. Shakur revealed
“With Matchroom and Riyadh Season, I am teaming up with a promotional force that matches my world-class talent. We will be unstoppable in and out of the ring, and I will continue to show my dominance for many years to come in the sport of boxing,” Shakur stated
Comments
Find all the latest boxing news and MMA breaking updates on boxingnews.com.
