At contract’s end, Shakur Stevenson says Top Rank has stalled his career

The path to Shakur Stevenson’s Saturday night homecoming title defense against Artem Harutunyan at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey has not been smooth. 

The WBC lightweight champion will fight for the first time since he won the vacant title in November against Edwin De Los Santos. The fight was considered a snoozer by all accounts, as they combined to land 105 punches, forcing a flock of disinterested fans to leave the arena before the final bell. 

Stevenson apologized for his performance and later attributed his lackluster win to an ailing shoulder. In January, as Stevenson looked to land his next opponent, he abruptly announced his retirement only to switch his stance days later. 

The series of events transpired as Stevenson had one fight remaining on his contract with Top Rank, Stevenson’s promoter ever since he turned pro following a 2016 silver medal run in the Olympics.

Stevenson (21-0, 10 KOs) called for fights against Top Rank cohorts Vasiliy Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr. before they eventually fought each other, and Lomachenko stopped Kambosos for the vacant 135-pound IBF crown. Discussions with Stevenson’s No. 1 challenger William Zepeda never crossed the finish line either. 

Stevenson said Harutunyan (12-1, 7 KOs) – a 33-year-old Armenian based in Germany who’s fought only once in the US – was the only opponent who was presented to him. Harutunyan is best known for giving Frank Martin a stiff fight last summer before fading late to lose by decision. 

As the 27-year-old southpaw Stevenson enters the free agency phase of his career, he’s looking to change his career’s stance by landing defining fights to cement his status to what he believes is the best boxer in the world.

Whether or not his star will shine under the Top Rank lights remains to be seen.

“Bob Arum is basically trying to say ‘Top Rank or nothing’ and basically trying to say that I don’t have any other options but Top Rank. Like, go see the market and come back to us,” Stevenson told BoxingScene, adding that Arum is “talking hot shit.” 

“I think Bob should just shut up because he’s not really even really running his own company.”

Stevenson said he won’t rule out a return to Top Rank, even though the company has started negotiations for a fight between Lomachenko and Gervonta Davis, yet another opponent Stevenson desires. 

Top Rank can also present Stevenson with fights against recently-crowned WBO lightweight champion Denys Berinchyk, ascending undefeated lightweight contender Raymond Muratalla and Teofimo Lopez Jr. at 140 pounds, among others. 

“I don’t know. I don’t count anything out. It’s business at the end of the day,” said Stevenson. “The same way [Top Rank] looks at it is the same way I look at it. If the business makes sense, then yeah. If the business doesn’t make sense then there is no point. I know my worth and understand it. I am not a kid anymore at 19 years old coming out of the Olympics. I am more so a grown man now that in years to come is going to end up as one of the most legendary and best fighters to ever do it, and that’s my worth.” 

After winning titles at 126 and 130 pounds and beating the likes of Oscar Valdez, Jamel Herring and Robson Conceicao, Stevenson is unhappy with how his lightweight run has been handled. 

Stevenson officially entered the lightweight division in April 2023 and scored a stoppage win against Shuichiro Yoshino before beating De Los Santos.

“Yeah [I was pleased] up to how I started getting bigger like as far as notoriety. In that process, we were doing good,” said Stevenson. “Once I got to 135 pounds everything kind of slowed down. I feel as though [Top Rank] could have given me the Kambosos fight like they gave Lomachenko. But they didn’t do that. I felt that we could have put a little bit more pressure on Lomachenko to make the fight happen but they didn’t do that. When I got to 135, my notoriety got bigger, and then things changed.”

As Arum and company brace for a potential split, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Oscar De La Hoya and Eddie Hearn have each shown interest in working with the James Prince-managed Stevenson. 

But Stevenson could perhaps be better positioned to strike out on his own to land the fights he wants, much like his career-long confidant Terence Crawford has done following his own split from Top Rank. 

Stevenson is adamant that his time will come and he’s willing to bet on himself as he promises a superstar performance against Harutunyan.

“The buildup has been cool,” said Stevenson. “Honestly I have been enjoying training camp, bettering my skills and conditioning and just being a 100 per cent of myself. I am coming in there as sharp as ever and in shape. I am ready and I can’t wait for July 6.

“I ain’t looking to prove nothing to nobody. I am looking to prove things to myself. I just want to show what a 100 per cent of myself can give.

“I’m ready for the big stage. As the lights get brighter, I get better and shine. I’m ready for anyone. It’s the dangerous version of me right now. Hopefully, we’ll get one of these big fighters to give me an opportunity.”

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.