Shakur Stevenson is a free agent; what does his future appear like?

Shakur Stevenson captured Olympic silver on the 2016 Video games in Rio De Janeiro and, eight months later, made his professional debut with High Rank.

Bob Arum, High Rank’s founder and CEO, signed Stevenson as a 19-year-old, the one promoter the champion has ever labored with. Seven years later, their relationship is certain to vary following Stevenson’s profitable WBC light-weight title protection vs. Artem Harutyunyan on Saturday.

Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs) was dominant — he was a -3500 favourite, per ESPN BET — however did not ship the thrilling victory he sought. There have been boos down the stretch as Stevenson cruised to a unanimous resolution victory towards an overmatched opponent for the second consecutive battle. This time, the boos had been from his hometown followers on the Prudential Middle in Newark, New Jersey.

Stevenson, 27, mentioned the jeers had been aimed toward Harutyunyan (12-2, 7 KOs) as a result of “he ain’t actually attempt to make the battle.” And whereas it is true that neither Harutyunyan nor Edwin De Los Santos — Stevenson’s final opponent in November — actually pressed the motion, the onus was on the supremely gifted Stevenson to discover a method to end his opponent.

Now, Stevenson will take a look at free company on the heels of an uneventful victory, not the statement-making efficiency he wanted.

Stevenson turned down a five-fight extension with High Rank, sources advised ESPN, that will have assured the boxer $3 million per bout.

He might signal with a rival promoter — PBC, Matchroom, Golden Boy, and so forth. — or stay a free agent and the pliability that brings fighters reminiscent of Devin Haney or his mentor, Terence Crawford.

“I need to actually begin my very own promotional firm and simply work with promoters and do a whole lot of short-term issues in order that means I am not locked in and caught to any individual,” Stevenson advised ESPN final Sunday.

He lamented that he did not rating the KO and whereas he blamed Harutyunyan, Stevenson additionally appeared inward. The champion mentioned he wanted to enhance his capability to chop off the ring.

Outdoors the ring, Stevenson will navigate uncharted waters. Eddie Hearn, chairman of Matchroom Sport, has publicly expressed curiosity in a take care of Stevenson. Certainly, many different promoters will pursue Stevenson, too. He’s, in any case, an undefeated champion rated No. 8 by ESPN pound for pound.

Now, it seems Stevenson is prepared for a change.

Going into Saturday’s battle, Stevenson felt High Rank did not do sufficient to advertise his battle with Harutyunyan as a result of he turned down the extension.

“It simply looks like they need me to advertise the battle and do the issues that do the job that they are imagined to be doing,” Stevenson mentioned. “… It simply looks like I am simply not a part of the promotion crew no extra. … I simply want on the finish of my contract that we obtained occurring that it could’ve been higher than this.”

“I really feel as if they promoted me properly till the tip of my contract, till my contract is about to be up,” he added. “And that is when issues sort of drifted and altered.”

Nonetheless, Stevenson wasn’t prepared to shut the door on a future reunion with High Rank.

“Shakur Stevenson’s contractual state of affairs under no circumstances impacted High Rank’s promotional efforts with reference to his battle with Artem Harutyunyan,” High Rank spokesperson Evan Korn advised ESPN. “Shakur is a tremendously gifted fighter, and the passionate crowd at Prudential Middle was a testomony to the efforts of each events.”

Regardless of the case, Stevenson knew he wanted a press release efficiency Saturday, particularly on the heels of his lackluster win over De Los Santos.

Stevenson prevailed over De Los Santos through scores of 115-113, 116-112 and 116-112 as boos rained down all through that battle as properly. Stevenson and De Los Santos each did not land double-digit punches in any of the 12 rounds.

As a substitute of returning to the ring sooner to erase the reminiscence of his poor efficiency, Stevenson waited eight months to battle Harutyunyan.

“I requested High Rank, ‘Can I come again sooner?’ I obtained another battle on my contract. And with all the pieces with High Rank, they did not enable it,” Stevenson mentioned. “They made positive that I used to be pushed again till June, July. June was the preliminary date that they gave me. After which, someway, it ended up going again to July. … I requested, ‘Can I come again in March?’ I needed to be proper again, to be sincere … however they made me wait this lengthy.

“I feel that I am the very best fighter on the roster and I did not settle for the deal that they needed, so I really feel as if possibly they needed to push me again so far as I can go.”

Stevenson should not have anybody else guilty shortly. As a promotional free agent, Stevenson will name the photographs as he pursues the form of marquee battle that is eluded him. ESPN’s high two boxers at Stevenson’s weight (135 kilos), Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Vasiliy Lomachenko, are in negotiations to battle one another this fall.

Lomachenko can be promoted by High Rank, and whereas Stevenson pressured for that matchup, it by no means materialized. Davis, one among boxing’s high stars, is with PBC.

Stevenson mentioned he would discover a bounce to 140 kilos “for cash fights” and talked about Mexico’s Isaac Cruz, a champion who’s creating a big fan base. He is with PBC.

There’s additionally Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez. Lopez, who High Rank promotes, is a champion at 140 kilos. Garcia is suspended till April 2025 and mentioned he cannot make 140. Haney, too, could possibly be completed on the weight.

Probably the most appetizing, possible possibility for Stevenson is perhaps Mexico’s William Zepeda, who delivered one other scintillating efficiency Saturday evening with a third-round KO of Giovanni Cabrera. Zepeda, a Golden Boy boxer, is on the cusp of a title shot.

“I have not talked to Shakur,” mentioned Golden Boy Promotions founder and lead promoter Oscar De La Hoya on the DAZN broadcast earlier than Zepeda’s victory. “I like his type. I like that he is a really gifted fighter. There isn’t any query to that. … I simply really feel like William Zepeda can tackle anyone. … William Zepeda-Shakur Stevenson is a battle individuals would love to observe. … I might like to work with Shakur Stevenson.”

Stevenson, in the meantime, has already received titles in three divisions. So what’s lacking? A mega battle, and he’ll now be unencumbered by boxing promotional politics as he seeks one.

“I imply I undoubtedly do not need to shut the door, but it surely looks like [Top Rank is] prepared to shut the door greater than me,” Stevenson mentioned. “So honestly talking, in the event that they saying f— me, it is f— them, too. In order that’s how I really feel.”