After seven dominant years with Top Rank, Shakur Stevenson made a bold move in 2024—linking up with Matchroom Boxing in hopes of landing the mega-fights he craved. The dream? A showdown with Gervonta Davis—a fight that would have finally settled the debate over who really runs the lightweight division. But could Eddie Hearn deliver the goods? Whether it was bad timing or just plain neglect, one thing’s for sure—it’s Shakur Stevenson who’s been left holding the bag at the moment.
Going without a full-time promoter can be risky business—just ask Edgar Berlanga. And now, Shakur Stevenson is finding himself in a similar spot. In case you missed it, the WBC Lightweight champion’s days under Matchroom Boxing are numbered. After taking care of business against late replacement Josh Padley in February, the 23-0 boxer is down to just one final fight under Eddie Hearn’s banner. And it’s coming fast—a matchup against William Zepeda, targeted for July 12 in New York. After that? Shakur Stevenson becomes a free agent. So what’s next? Looks like Eddie Hearn has an answer.
Why a 50-50 deal is always the smartest play
In a recent interview with Fight Hub TV, reporters wanted to know — will Lou DiBella promote Shakur Stevenson next, as per recent reports? Eddie Hearn made it pretty simple: “I have a two fight deal with Turki Alalshikh. So, we’ve done one. So you can do the maths for the last one.” Beyond that? Hearn admitted he doesn’t know yet. So for now, Hearn’s focus is just on finishing that second fight under the existing agreement. After that, it’s up in the air. He made it clear he’d “like to represent him for a long time,” but nothing’s guaranteed at the moment. The conversation got a little deeper when Eddie Hearn opened up about the reality of boxing deals.
He explained that sometimes, if promoters don’t have the right opportunities for a fighter, or if a fighter can’t offer something in return, it just naturally ends. Hearn admitted that if he doesn’t have the right fights lined up for Shakur Stevenson after the Zepeda bout, their partnership might end right there. “I will have to come up with something for Shakur Stevenson. If I don’t that might be the end. It’s got to work for me as well as for Shakur. Maybe I haven’t got anything for him. Maybe he hasn’t got anything for me. But right now I know what we agreed with His Excellency and that’s what we’ll do for now and then see where we go,” the Matchroom head stated.
It’s got to be a win-win situation for both sides—otherwise, no hard feelings, but everyone moves on.
Of course, the Tank Davis fight, the one fans are dying to see, came up, too. Hearn said he would love to make that fight happen in the future. But he also threw in a curveball, “Fighting Jake Paul isn’t he?” Hearn pointed out that Tank will also fight Lamont Roach Jr. (in the rematch) before anything with Shakur Stevenson can happen. “I know he’s fighting Jake Paul in November and then maybe Shakur after that,” the British promoter explained.
So while the dream matchup is still alive, it’s definitely not happening right away. And even though Eddie Hearn insists he still has one more fight lined up with Shakur Stevenson, a veteran journalist is telling a different story.
It’s an all skill and no thrill for Shakur Stevenson
According to Dan Rafael, Shakur Stevenson might have already moved on from Eddie Hearn—and is now teaming up with veteran promoter Lou DiBella for his next fight. Rafael shared the scoop on X, saying, “In reporting on the July 12 card with Shakur-Zepeda, [a] source with knowledge of specifics told me Shakur split from Matchroom.” He added, “Prince, his manager, has hired Lou DiBella as his promoter for the event to handle things on their behalf.”
But here’s where things get a little awkward: does Lou DiBella even like Shakur Stevenson? Not too long ago, DiBella actually called Shakur Stevenson… well, boring. After Stevenson’s title defense against Artem Harutyunyan in July 2024, DiBella tweeted, “As good as he is, I just don’t enjoy watching Shakur fight. Goodnight.” And now that old comment is coming back to bite, as DiBella steps in to promote the Newark southpaw’s next big fight.
Naturally, fans are scratching their heads over the whole situation. Why would Shakur Stevenson team up with someone who’s publicly criticized him? Veteran reporter Dan Rafael tried to cool the chatter, pointing out that DiBella’s longtime relationship with Stevenson’s manager, James Prince, and his deep roots in New York’s boxing scene make this a more logical move than it looks on the surface.
So what do you think? Should Shakur Stevenson have stayed with Matchroom? Is Lou DiBella the right man to guide him now next?
The post Shakur Stevenson Receives Bad News as Eddie Hearn Confirms Shakur Stevenson’s Plans appeared first on EssentiallySports.
