Shakur Stevenson missed weight. Here’s why that’s a good thing.
Earlier today, boxing phenom Shakur Stevenson missed weight and was stripped of his WBC and WBO Super Featherweight titles. He’s slated to still fight Robson Conceicao but only Conceiaco can win the belts now. Shakur Stevenson announced today that he will move up in weight from Super Flyweight to lightweight. Here’s why that’s a good thing.
Shakur Stevenson At Lightweight: Good things to come
Lightweight has some of the best names in boxing. Lightweight has a problem, however, with nobody wanting to fight each other. It seems the fighters are working through that now, but historically it has been clogged up with belt hoggers who won’t fight.
Currently at the top is Devin Haney. He has the IBF, WBA, and WBO titles that he won from George Kambosos. Kambosos won his titles from Teofimo Lopez, part of the lightweight problem who has since moved up in weight. We have Lomachenko who is now the boogey man and nobody wants to fight despite him being third in Ring Magazine’s rankings.
Under him we have some great and popular names. Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia, Jojo Diaz, and more all make the division fun and has the ability to shake things up. Except they don’t. Getting the grudge match with Davis and Garcia is taking an act of Congress to get done.
Shakur Stevenson is different. He comes to fight. He has shown he will fight whoever in his young career already. He’s only 25 and he’s already fought Oscar Valdez and Jamel Herring. Conceiaco is ranked fourth in his division, who he fights on Friday. He was supposed to fight Emmanuel Navarrete in this fight who is a nightmare for anyone. He will fight anyone, anytime, anywhere.
Shakur Stevenson moving up to lightweight gives him the opportunity to fight the best, something that super featherweight simply can’t offer. A match with Ryan Garcia, Vasyl Lomachenko, and Devin Haney for Stevenson is mega. And he has the skills to beat these fighters too.
With the big names comes big paydays, something Stevenson deserves. He’s the hottest prospect after he gets past Conceicao on Friday. Lightweights be warned.
