It’s the fight fans can’t stop imagining—Shakur vs. Tank. Two of boxing’s most skilled, flashy, and talked-about fighters are currently ruling the lightweight division. While the bout hasn’t materialized yet, the tension is real. Stevenson has long questioned Tank’s prowess, suggesting he’s been protected from elite-level opposition. And Gervonta Davis? Well, he couldn’t care less. Recently, Shakur Stevenson furthered their bad blood with another contentious remark to sum up the WBA lightweight champion’s prowess.
In a quick interview with the journalist Patricia Duong, the undefeated southpaw played a simple word association game: the reporter throws out a name, Shakur Stevenson replies with the first word that comes to mind. First came Canelo Alvarez. “Great,” replied the WBC lightweight champion. Then came William Scull, Canelo’s last opponent. “Running,” declared Stevenson, in reference to the Canelo fight, where Scull evaded exchanges for the entire 12 rounds. Then came Naoya Inoue. Shakur stamped & sealed that shift with: “Great.” High praise, right? And coming from a technician like Shakur? It means something.
Devin Haney, too, got a respectful nod: “Solid.” The two have a long history. Yet, the respect for the former undisputed lightweight champion was evident. However, none hit harder than the one aimed at Gervonta Davis. When asked about Tank, Shakur Stevenson didn’t hesitate: “Overrated.” Boom! Calling him overrated is bold as well as strategic.
Stevenson is aiming to collide with division superstar Tank. “Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis. I think that’s the biggest fight in boxing. Me and him can make the most money if we make this fight happen, so let’s do it,” Stevenson had exclaimed in February after his win over Josh Padley.
Regardless, with his latest assessment, in under a minute, Shakur Stevenson managed to praise greatness, create hype, and stir up the kind of chaos that keeps boxing fans glued to the sport, possibly and hopefully contributing to a higher pay-per-view for one of the most anticipated fights that fans might crave.
Shakur Stevenson remains unfazed by Gervonta Davis’ knockout assertion
While Gervonta Davis himself hasn’t directly responded to Stevenson’s comments, the tension between the two continues to grow, especially as fans and media press harder for the matchup. In the meantime, others have taken it upon themselves to play spokesperson for Tank, including comedian and loyal Davis supporter Jess Hilarious.
During a recent interview on The Breakfast Club, Jess playfully confronted Stevenson about his repeated callouts. “You want to fight Tank? You want Tank to knock you out, yo? I’ve heard you say before, ‘Yo, I want to fight Tank!’ And that’s nice, but why do you want Tank to knock you out so bad?” Despite the loaded nature of the question, the Newark native remained calm.
With a smile, he shot back: “Look, that sounds good. That sounds real good.” Then, doubling down, he added: “He’s too little. I promise you he’s too little.”
Despite Gervonta Davis’ silence on the repeated callouts, Stevenson remains undeterred. He continues to assert that not only is the fight inevitable—it’s winnable. And if Tank doesn’t speak soon, Shakur seems more than happy to keep the spotlight—and the pressure—entirely on his own terms.
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