Shakur Stevenson is bitter about Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis choosing to go in the direction of a unification fight against Vasily Lomachenko for November.
Stevenson attempts to make light of being passed over by Tank, saying that his “time will come,” but he might be kidding himself because that match might never happen.
The “Handout” Fighter
Shakur’s struggle to generate excitement in his fights puts him in a tough position. Due to his amateur style, he can’t prove himself worthy of a match against the superstar Tank Davis inside the ring.
New Jersey native Shakur is just another fighter looking for a handout from Tank, and that’s not appealing.
Stevenson’s reluctance and inability to evolve his fighting approach makes him a non-crowd pleaser. Instead of impressing inside the ring, Shakur is resigned to trying to talk his way into a fight with Tank to get a golden payday rather than earning it through action.
Shakur’s neediness and inability to create his path to stardom by changing his fighting style leave him hounding Tank for a fight and looking wretched due to his begging. It’s a bad approach to a career and a waste, but it shows how Shakur resists change.
Tank Has “Nowhere Else to Go”
“I know that my time will come. Tank Davis has nowhere else to go but to fight me,” said Shakur Stevenson to Manouk Akopyan, reacting to Gervonta Davis negotiating with IBF lightweight champion Vasily Lomachenko for a unification fight in November.
He’s like the David Benavidez of the lightweight division, campaigning for a fight but unwilling to take the risks needed to become a star without Tank Davis throwing him a bone.
While Tank prepares for a massive fight against the IBF lightweight champion, Shakur (21-0, 10 KOs) will face Artem Harutyunyan tonight in Newark, New Jersey.
Harutyunyan (13-1, 7 KOs) lost his last fight, which puts Shakur in a no-win situation where he’ll receive zero credit for beating him unless he destroys him with an impressive knockout.
That’s not likely to happen because of Shakur’s Haney-esque power and the amateur style he’s failed to eliminate in the pros.
Resistance to Change
Shakur is known more for his social media activity than for his fights, and that’s a sad commentary about him. He’s become an Adrien Broner type who creates interest only outside the ring but cannot make things happen inside.
Stevenson won’t change his fighting style, no matter how much criticism he receives from fans. He believes he’s right by continuing to fight like he does and that eventually, people will appreciate his archaic fighting style of a bygone Mayweather Safety First era, which doesn’t fit in this age where fans demand to be entertained for their money.
Shakur desperately needs a knockout of Harutyunyan tonight to get some positive attention to his career and make fans forget about his last disastrous performance against Edwin De Los Santos last November.
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