After reports quickly became common knowledge, Shakur Stevenson has finally signed with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing. While the news was expected to be followed by a fight announcement, the Newark southpaw has instead ruled out one of his rumoured rivals.
Stevenson is unanimously considered as one of boxing’s pound-for-pound superstars, with his undefeated record remaining intact despite him becoming the third-youngest four-division world champion of all time.
Now, Stevenson is seeking opportunities to take on his pound-for-pound rivals, with a clash against Devin Haney being suggested throughout 2026 thus far, until a move to Zuffa Boxing led to concerns that he may pursue an alternative fight.
Stevenson was also being mentioned for a fight with another Zuffa fighter, former WBA super-lightweight world champion, Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela. Yet, in an interview with ESPN, Stevenson made it clear that he would not be facing the Renton-based lefty any time soon.
“I’m turning the fight down publicly right now just in case that they do come to the table and say, ‘Oh, we want to fight Rayo.’ Shakur will not be fighting Rayo. That will not be happening.”
Instead, Stevenson maintained that he fully intends to take on boxing’s biggest names and that he will not be restricted to in-house Zuffa fights, calling for a clash with either Haney or Gervonta Davis next.
“Hopefully my next fight is with Devin Haney since Conor Benn isn’t here or, hopefully, it’s Gervonta Davis. I haven’t been calling his name lately, but now is the time to fight, so let’s do it.”
Despite Stevenson’s words, Haney seems more likely to face mandatory challenger, Keyshawn Davis, in a defence of his WBO welterweight world title, whilst ‘Tank’ Davis is expected to be sidelined until early 2027.
