Two-division world champion Paulie Malignaggi has highlighted a fighter whom he believes can be considered as this generation’s ‘Floyd Mayweather.’
Mayweather famously hung up the gloves with a record of 50-0 and was named as the BWAA’s ‘Fighter of the Decade’ for the 2010’s after overcoming the likes of Shane Mosley, Oscar De La Hoya, Canelo Alvarez and Manny Pacquiao.
Cemented as one the greatest defensive fighters of all time, ‘TBE’ continues to be linked to a return to professional boxing at the age of 48, but Malignaggi told talkSPORT that there is already a Mayweather-esque talent present in Shakur Stevenson.
“Shakur [Stevenson] for me is a fighter I’d always look at to be the best fighter in the sport. He is like this generation’s Floyd Mayweather. He hasn’t been given the opportunities, they’ve avoided him.
“He’s a world class fighter, and I think this is fight is between two world class fighters in their prime. I look at Stevenson, I say this guy is the future of boxing and he will carry the sport.”
Despite the plaudits, Malignaggi then went on to refuse to write off a Teofimo Lopez victory this weekend, where he and Stevenson collide for the WBO super-lightweight world title in New York – Stevenson’s first fight at 140lbs after already winning titles at featherweight, super-featherweight and lightweight.
“He beat Vasyl Lomachenko for real, on his night he is almost unbeatable. I think Teofimo brings his own attributes to the table.
“I think if there is somebody on a certain night who can do it, it would be Lopez. But if you count him out, he’s surprised a lot of people.
“I believe in Stevenson, but on his night Teofimo can beat anyone in the world.”
Lopez-Stevenson takes place at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, topping a bill that features two additional world title contests on the undercard.
