WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson wants ‘Kid Austin’ Floyd Schofield to earn a title shot against him by beating 19-year-old prospect Abdullah Mason first.
The recently un-retired Shakur (21-0, 10 KOs) is putting the non-top 15 ranked Mason (12-0, 10 KOs) as a gatekeeper that Kid Austin (16-0, 12 KOs) must get past for him to get a title shot against him.
Shakur doesn’t have an opponent for his next fight, and his dreams of getting Vasily Lomachenko, Emanuel Navarrete, or Gervonta Davis to fight him are useless. None of those guys will fight him after how he performed in his last fight against Edward De Los Santos. If Shakur isn’t willing to face Kid Austin, who can he fight?
The Challenge
“Abdullah Mason vs. Kid Austin on my next undercard? Kid Austin want a spot at my belt without doing nothing in the sport of boxing well here’s the opportunity of a lifetime u get pass Lil bro I’ll give u that opportunity or u just clout chasing?
@KidAustin11” said Shakur on X.
Some would see this move as a sign that Shakur is chicken, and trying to dodge the 21-year-old talent, Kid Austin, especially after his poor showing last November against Edwin De Los Santos at the T-Mobile Arena.
That was the fight in which Shakur ran around the ring for 12 rounds, getting booed, winning a questionable decision, and then blaming his performance on being injured. Shakur then briefly retired rather than giving De Los Santos a rematch to clear up the controversy over their fight.
Mason as the Proving Ground
A fight against the unbeaten Abdullah Mason would arguably be a tougher fight for Kid Austin than a match against the light-hitting Shakur, seeing that the 19-year-old would be coming to fight. Mason wouldn’t be running around the ring and then blaming it on a hand injury afterward.
Kid Austin is ranked #4 WBA, so he shouldn’t have to fight Mason to earn a shot against Shakur. Also, Top Rank wouldn’t agree to that fight anyway. They’re not going to put Mason in with Kid Austin at this early stage of his career and watch him potentially lose.