LAS VEGAS — Shakur Stevenson has had enough.
For years, you will have to have heard about boxing’s new “Four Kings” — Devin Haney, Teofimo Lopez, Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia — with their call-up inexplicably excluded despite being the organization’s only Olympic medalist and a stunt double. -World Division Champion.
WATCH: Shakur Stevenson vs. Edwin De Los Santos, on ESPN
He’s tired of being shunned through the aforementioned names for reasons that affect boxing, ranging from being “across the street” to “it’s not the time. ” He listens to him despite his struggles to get around the absurd regulations that he believes only apply to him.
He also finds it funny that every time he moves up the ranks, all the “big names” find a way to progress and give up their titles instead of facing him.
Whether his emotions are true or not, Shakur Stevenson is visibly upset and plans to vent his frustration against Edwin de Los Santos on Nov. 16 in Las Vegas in a fight for the vacant WBC championship.
Stevenson had originally been appointed to face former pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko, but Loma refused. He was then scheduled to face rising lightweight star Frank Martin, only for Martin to pull out at the last minute for reasons Stevenson still has trouble solving. De Los Santos (16-1, 14 KOs) signed on the dotted line to face Stevenson when no one else would, but it’s not the fight everyone wanted.
Through clenched teeth, you might feel Stevenson’s annoyance at having to communicate with his opponent. He’s a bad fighter by any means, but a Stevenson win doesn’t necessarily mean anything for his career other than turning him into a three-division world champion. champion. And while that’s great, it’s not what the 26-year-old wants.
It’s evident that Stevenson gets more and more annoyed with every pre-fight interview, as he’s asked over and over again why no one will fight him.
“It has to do with the fact that I’ve been in the ring with a lot of those fighters,” Stevenson told The Sporting News to explain why he was rejected. “Because they were in the ring with me, they know I’m the truth. They know who they’ve been in the ring with, and rarely, you’ll never know.
It’s no secret that Stevenson has fought Devin Haney and Gervonta Davis over the years and there have been rumors in boxing’s inner circles that he gave them a headache. He has talked about it ad nauseum and noted new headlines appearing about how he wishes it will be more exciting to earn a shot with the biggest names in the sport.
At first, Stevenson was able to talk about his opponent and why others were turning away from him with a smile. As the weeks passed, the smile gradually disintegrated. The questions are the same and their answers would probably not change. But each interview gives rise to a headline that his rivals will fuel, sparking anxiety and drama on social media. Nothing you can say will silence your critics and all you can do is watch your words get out of control.
MORE: Where is Shakur Stevenson on the P4P list?
After Tuesday’s press conference, doubt over how he would approach the bout against De Los Santos ignited the young champion and his frustrations visibly boiled.
“I don’t know what you can expect,” Stevenson said. My opinion is my opinion. I faint and fight for myself. When I come, I need to be happy with my performance. I don’t care what you say. “
I wasn’t denouncing the media.
“You all have favorites. Honestly, I’m starting to get a sense of why “Tank” (Gervonta Davis) treats them the way he treats them. It is incognito to you because you are all insignificant. They pick their favorites, tell their own stories, and spread lies.
This outburst wasn’t all that unexpected given what Stevenson had to respond to in recent weeks. He has noted to other boxing personalities why he deserved to have taken the short division to fight Devin Haney or why he is not as popular on social media. like Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis because of their combative taste and perceived lack of power.
He’s fed up. If it were up to Stevenson, he would have already faced the biggest names in the game and proven to be one of the biggest names in the business. But boxing is not that simple. It’s a business where marketing can play a much bigger role in a wrestler’s career than talent.
As the fight approaches, Stevenson has made the decision not to get caught up in the narratives surrounding his career. All he can do is fight, win, and force the hand of those who have strayed from him.
“Honestly, a week ago,” Stevenson told the Sporting News when asked when he learned that worrying about the media wouldn’t be productive for his career. “I was too busy trying to figure things out for all of you. In the end, I have nothing to reveal to you. No matter what I do, he keeps talking shit about me.
While complaints are inevitable in this industry, Stevenson can rest easy knowing that he won’t be stopped from doing so due to his lack of talent. It’s that good.
And if he continues to rack up world titles and dominate the opposition, how much longer can he be denied?