Jake Paul has a habit of throwing out big names, and after his upcoming bout with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., he’s eyeing some heavy hitters: Gervonta Davis, Anthony Joshua, Tommy Fury, Badou Jack, Ryan Garcia, and even KSI. But one name that’s noticeably missing from that “hit list”? Shakur Stevenson. Then again, nobody really expected to see the undefeated WBC world lightweight champion tangled up in YouTube-boxing theatrics. A showdown between Stevenson and someone like Jake Paul seems, at best, laughably mismatched. But after Jake Paul’s stunning (and controversial) win over Mike Tyson, can we even rule anything out anymore?
In a surprising twist, Shakur Stevenson himself addressed the possibility during a recent interview with talkSPORT‘s George Glinski. When asked about the bizarre idea of a fight with Jake Paul, the reporter almost assumed Shakur Stevenson would shut it down immediately. After all, the Newark slickster has always focused on elite competition. But instead of dismissing the question, Shakur Stevenson actually left the door slightly ajar. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I have no clue what I’m focused on right now,” he admitted with a smirk.
“Right now, my focus is William Zepeda,” Shakur Stevenson said, laser-locked on his July 12 showdown at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens. “But if it came down to it, I’ll fight any and everybody,” the 23-0 lightweight champion continued. “So, it doesn’t matter. As long as it makes money and makes for a good fight, I’m willing to fight everybody.” It’s a bold, almost brash declaration, but can you really fault him? Shakur Stevenson’s deal with Matchroom Boxing wraps up after this bout, making him one of the most high-profile free agents in the sport. When your next move could change your career, and your bank account, it makes sense to keep all doors open.
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Moreover, there’s been plenty of buzz about Shakur Stevenson potentially signing with Floyd Mayweather’s promotional outfit once he’s a free agent. But the Newark native has been clear: loyalty follows logic. “I’d like to have Eddie part of the journey with me, but only if it makes sense. And right now, I feel like it makes sense,” he explained in a recent interview. “And, for future references, if it all makes sense, I’m down to keep going with Eddie, but it all depends if it makes sense.” So for now, Hearn is still in the corner, at least until fight night on July 12.
That said, Shakur Stevenson didn’t shut down the Mayweather possibility either. In fact, he and Mayweather Promotions already sat down last year following his Top Rank exit. When asked directly whether he’d link up with Mayweather Promotions, the 27-year-old didn’t hesitate: “Yeah, for sure… if it makes sense, everything flowing the right way, and I would love to.” And why wouldn’t he? If things go south against Zepeda, that safety net of a big-money deal, maybe even something unexpected like a Jake Paul fight starts looking a lot more appealing. It’s unlikely Stevenson loses, but in boxing, one punch can flip everything.
So while it looks like Shakur Stevenson is open to a potential fight with Jake Paul, knowing full well the kind of money it could generate, he didn’t really seem too thrilled when a possible Gervonta Davis vs. Jake Paul matchup became the talk of the town for several months. Why?
Shakur Stevenson rips Gervonta Davis for entertaining Jake Paul bout
Keyshawn Davis had nothing but praise for Gervonta “Tank” Davis, crediting him with keeping boxing alive in the post-Mayweather era. In a recent chat with Mark Zittel, Keyshawn said, “At the end of the day, after the Floyd era, ‘Tank’ carried that torch and he made sure boxing was still lit for fighters like me. If it wasn’t [for] ‘Tank’ and what he did, it wouldn’t be a lot of this s–t going on nowadays.” But while The Businessman was busy handing out flowers, his close friend and WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson wasn’t nearly as impressed.
In fact, Shakur Stevenson took a shot at the Baltimore native for even entertaining the idea of fighting Jake Paul, calling it “disrespectful to the sport.” Stevenson didn’t mince words: “Tank [is being] disrespectful to the sport if he chooses that over fighting me,” he told reporters. “I’m the best fighter in the sport. I’ve been telling you that and he called cap on it. So if he wants to call cap and say that I’m not who I say I am, come prove it.” With Tank now set to rematch Lamont Roach Jr. on August 16 after their controversial draw, Stevenson couldn’t help but issue a warning: “He better be on his A-game.”
Now, this contrast in opinions from two close friends could finally be the spark that lights the fuse for a blockbuster showdown between Shakur Stevenson and Keyshawn Davis. However, do you think a fight between Shakur Stevenson and Jake Paul is even possible? And if it were to happen, who walks away with the win?
The post Shakur Stevenson Shows True Colors Over Jake Paul Fight After Trashing Gervonta Davis’ Bid to Fight YouTuber appeared first on EssentiallySports.
