Shakur Stevenson revealed that the options that he’s considering signing with as a free agent are Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing and Mayweather Promotions.
Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs) turned down a $15 million, five-fight offer from Top Rank to re-ink with them, and he still feels bitter about them being unable to land the fights that he wanted against Vasily Lomachenko and Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis.
Matchroom and Mayweather Promotions in the Running
In an interview this week, Shakur spoke of a conspiracy of Top Rank trying to make him look bad last Saturday night by ESPN showing fans departing the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, well before the end of his fight against Artem Harutyunyan. Stevenson believes this was done in retaliation for his not re-signing with Top Rank.
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has made it known that he would love to sign WBC lightweight champion Shakur to his stable, which would further beef it on the U.S side.
The Challenge of Becoming a PPV Attraction
Hearn recently signed IBF welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, arguably the most critical signee to his stable since inking Anthony Joshua in 2013 after he captured an Olympic gold medal in the London Olympics in 2012.
Shakur isn’t that kind of talent compared to Joshua and Boots Ennis, but he would be good to have around to be used for a short contract of one or two fights. It would only work for Hearn or Mayweather Promotions if they can land the money fights against Gervonta Davis or Vasily Lomachenko.
Stevenson hasn’t shown the ability to become a PPV attraction, and he won’t be worth much if he’s matched against weak opposition. Floyd Mayweather Jr. would be wasting his time by signing Shakur and setting soft opposition for many years to create fake hype to hustle. The fans won’t buy into trickery to create a fake star.
“I’ve got nothing but respect and love for Floyd [Mayweather]. He’s been talking to me a lot and helping me out. I think Eddie Hearn is one of the best promoters. Top Rank have ESPN, but promotion-wise, Eddie Hearn is a better promoter,” said Shakur Stevenson to NajiChill’s YouTube channel on who he’s narrowed down his choices to sign with as a free agent.
It’s unclear what Hearn plans on doing with Shakur if he signs him to his Matchroom stable because if he can’t hammer out a deal for him to fight Lomachenko or Tank Davis, these are the only options he has:
– Andy Cruz
– Jack Catterall
– Subriel Matias
– Liam Paro
– Richardson Hitchins
– Regis Prograis
– Jaron Ennis
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