Shakur Stevenson is now searching for a first opponent after signing with Zuffa Boxing, but there is one man who says he is being avoided by Stevenson, whom he believes has ‘gone back on his word’.
Stevenson has been linked to a host of names since his triumph over Teofimo Lopez in January, with Devin Haney, Conor Benn and Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela being some of the recent fighters mentioned for a showdown with the pound-for-pound star.
Another man who has been chasing the fight is former sparring partner and reigning WBC super-featherweight world champion O’Shaquie Foster, who has maintained that he would be willing to move up two weight divisions for the opportunity.
Back in December, Stevenson responded to Foster’s continuous call-out, telling the Texan that he must first defeat his good friend and former featherweight world champion Raymond Ford before being granted the opportunity to fight him.
“It’s all good Sav [Ford], Cause he won’t get an opportunity with me until he fight u.. That WBC s**t don’t move me.”
Since then, Foster has overcome Ford via majority-decision, with Stevenson entering the ring after that May contest to seemingly call on the showdown with ‘Shock’ Foster.
“Pick up the phone we could run it next… Don’t say he a 130 pounder either he talked his way here now let’s go. Boy gone wanna shake my hand after saying he ain’t shaking hands, let’s fight.
“Look they starting already. This dude scream my name on every platform.. Lie and say he beat me up and ran me out the gym when I never run from nobody, I’m a man first. Let’s get it.”
Yet, speaking to Ring Magazine, Foster shared his frustration at a lack of talks in the weeks that have followed, disheartened that he will not be granted a shot at the Newark southpaw despite trumping Ford.
“He went on Twitter [X] and said that basically he is not giving me an opportunity or giving me a shot at fighting him unless I give Ray Ford the shot [first].
“We did that and he’s not holding himself to or being a man of his word. We ain’t heard nothing from him.
“He got in the ring that night and said, ‘we are going to do it’. I told him that I don’t care which weight and, still, we ain’t heard nothing from him.”
Foster is also being mooted for a unification clash against WBO and IBF super-featherweight world champion Emanuel Navarrete, although WBO mandatory challenger Charly Suarez is unlikely to step aside and looks set to delay that proposed match-up.
