There are three fights that Shakur Stevenson wants, but he does not feel he is close to any of them.
On the wish list of the WBC lightweight champion are WBA ruler Gervonta “Tank” Davis, WBO belt holder Denys Berinchyk and IBF titlist Vasiliy Lomachenko.
Gifted southpaw Stevenson, 26, meets Artem Harutyunyan in the last fight of his existing deal with promoter Top Rank on July 7 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Amid speculation that Davis and Lomachenko could meet, Stevenson’s co-manager Josh Dubin has defended Stevenson’s position as a significant draw in boxing, having taken exception to a recent interview given by promoter Bob Arum, who said Lomachenko is a more lucrative option for Davis than Stevenson, adding that Loma is the bigger fight.
“If a fighter doesn’t bring to the table eyeballs, people who will pay to see the match, then it’s really tough to make a big match for them,” Arum said.
“That, in my opinion – and I manage Shakur with James Prince – that is a totally nonsensical reason why they are not pushing to get Shakur this fight,” said Dubin. “And Lomachenko three fights ago couldn’t fill [New York’s Madison Square] Garden, he had to fight in the small room in The Garden. Shakur has been consistently one of the highest-rated fighters on their roster anytime he fights on ESPN.
“The only time he didn’t pull one of the higher ratings is when they had him fight on a Thursday night and tried to convince us, because of the Formula One race, that was going to be the biggest event in the world. Shakur didn’t even want to do it. He said, ‘They’re not going to be able to fill the arena.’
“People can draw their own conclusions. I think it’s pretty obvious. In my opinion, they don’t want to give him a big fight because their contract is running out. But they have the power to say to Lomachenko, ‘Look, here’s the fight we’re offering you.’ They don’t do that. They could say to Tank Davis’ people, ‘Look, Shakur’s a bigger fight.’ And he is a bigger fight, in our opinion, because they’re two undefeated guys in their prime. They’re putting a 36-year-old fading Lomachenko out there against him.
“Shakur wants the biggest fights. And I understand they can’t force people to fight him, but to give the explanation that they’re not trying to negotiate a Tank Davis fight because Shakur isn’t the draw is just nonsense. Then, the guy who just beat [Emanuel] Navarrete, [Berinchyk], is on social media calling Shakur out. He’s making videos calling him out. That’s their fighter. They have options on that guy right now. Shakur just sits here and has to take it.
“They have the ability to help us make these fights, and they’re not doing it.”
Stevenson is one of the most gifted boxers in the sport and boasts a record of 21-0 (10 KOs). His last fight was a dull decision win over Edwin De Los Santos back in November, and he has also won titles at featherweight and junior lightweight.
“I think it’s pretty obvious why they’re not,” Dubin said of trying to land the Davis fight for Stevenson. “What incentive is there for him to want to keep fighting for them? They’re not fighting for him right now.
“[Arum]’s not saying anything bad, but I’m saying it’s just a lame reason, a lame excuse as to why they wouldn’t pursue a Tank Davis fight.
“There’s three fights that [Stevenson] wants: Lomachenko, Tank and Berinchyk. Those are the fights he wants. He’s been pleading for those fights, and they could make the Berinchyk fight at the snap of a finger right now, but the specific thing I’m responding to is Arum saying that in order to make a big fight you need someone that puts bums in seats or eyeballs on the screen. Shakur’s that guy.
“Just look at not only the TV ratings, but he has broken the ticket sales records for events at the United Center in Newark. He’s sold 10,000 seats there several times. His fight with Oscar Valdez sold around 10,000 tickets and maybe more in Vegas. In my opinion, it’s a ridiculous excuse.
“He consistently sells 10,000 tickets in Newark. He’s a huge draw in Newark. He’s a huge draw in Vegas. We know that. These aren’t things we’re giving our opinion on.”
Dubin argues that Stevenson is a bigger draw than Lomachenko. But while Stevenson failed to dazzle against De Los Santos, Lomachenko sizzled to beat George Kambosos in Australia.
“Fair enough,” Dubin countered. “The operative part of that is against Kambosos. And that’s another fight Shakur wanted. He didn’t get that.”
By Tris Dixon