Shakur Stevenson: “I’m about to take over the [135-lb] division”

By Dan Ambrose: Shakur Stevenson says he’s “about to take over” the lightweight division. Stevenson (19-0, 9 KOs) has put the 135-lb division on notice that he’s moving up and ready to take control of the weight class following his victory over Robson Conceicao last Friday night.

With the way the 135-lb division is compartmentalized, it’s unlikely Shakur will ever get the opportunity to fight Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis or Ryan Garcia. Tank’s management at Mayweather Promotions hasn’t put him in against Vasyl Lomachenko, Haney, and Ryan despite the interest from those three.

At best, Shakur will get fights against Lomachenko and Haney and then find himself fighting the obscure contenders for years without getting the opportunity to face Tank Davis or Ryan Garcia.

The former two-division world champion Stevenson, 25, says he would like to either challenge undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney or face Vasyl Lomachenko in his debut at 135.

The chances of either of those fights happening for Shakur right away are slim, and none. Top Rank has already made it known that they want to match Lomachenko against the winner of the Haney vs. George Kambosos Jr II rematch.

“List me as a lightweight,” said Shakur Stevenson to the DAZN Boxing Show. “Only because I’m about to take over this division. This is my division now. I’m going to go in the gym and work on my wrestling.

“Getting my arms free when someone is grabbing me is something I need to work on because he was grabbing me, and I couldn’t get my arms free.

“I’m ready to go three, four, and five punches, and when I’m ready to throw, he’d grab me and put his body on me. He was using really good survival instincts. I need to make sure I’m pulling my arms out to be able to shoot.

“I could have gone in there and moved around from round one until the end of the fight and made it easy without taking any punishment or getting touched. I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to give people a show.

“I’m really comfortable in the pocket. I’m not going to fight Tank the same way I did that, dude. I’m going to move around, box him and use my speed & IQ to my advantage.

“With somebody else like Devin [Haney], I might press forward. With different styles, I might just fight differently. I’m a winner. I’m going to do whatever it takes to win.

“Me and Lomachenko. I think he and Lomachenko are going to be a big fight. It can happen in the next one or two fights. I’m ready. Nah, but it’s clear as day that their mind is already made up on that,” said Shakur when asked if he’s already talked to his management about fighting Lomachenko.

“They know I’m ready. They’re not going to take me through no cakewalk,” said Stevenson.