Shakur Stevenson has made his feelings clear on a potential clash with Conor Benn, reacting to the Brit’s performance against Regis Prograis.
The pair collided at a catchweight of 150lbs on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov, with Benn claiming a dominant unanimous decision victory.
But despite the one-sided nature of their contest, many would argue that ‘The Destroyer’ should have capitalised more on his opponent’s lack of mobility.
Prograis seemed a far cry from his former self, no longer boasting the same athletic advantages and reflexes that saw him become a two-time world champion.
And, because of this, it was perhaps surprising to see the 37-year-old remain on his feet for the full 10 rounds, especially after hearing pre-fight rumours of an alleged injury, which were later confirmed.
Benn, meanwhile, fought with his typical explosiveness but seemed unable to put a dent in Prograis, even while carrying the extra size following his middleweight victory over Chris Eubank Jr in November.
It is therefore tempting to consider whether he can still perform at 147lbs, where the 29-year-old has expressed a desire to face WBC world champion Ryan Garcia.
At the same time, though, WBO world super-lightweight champion Stevenson was quick to call out Benn following his last outing, a wide points victory over Teofimo Lopez.
Taking to social media after Benn’s triumph over Prograis, the American insisted that, if they ever lock horns, he would expect to end proceedings inside the distance.
“If he makes it 12 rounds with me I’ll be disappointed in myself.”
Stevenson is considered one of the finest fighters in this generation while Benn, on the other hand, is yet to prove his world-class ability. Even still, it is a bold claim from Stevenson, who has a 44% knockout-to-win ratio.
