Shakur Stevenson wanted $15 million per fight from Zuffa Boxing regardless of who stood across from him, according to reporter Sean Zittel. The reported figures explain why Stevenson parted ways with the promotion without stepping into their ring.
Zittel reports that Zuffa explored a January date against Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela in Newark that would have paid Stevenson roughly $7 million, with an alternative December slot against an undetermined opponent carrying similar money. Stevenson turned both options down, holding out for top-tier compensation. Zittel added that Stevenson initially accepted $15 million to fight Haney before raising his demands even higher. The reporter did not disclose the final dollar amount Stevenson sought after moving the goalposts.
“He wanted $15 million no matter who was going to be put in front of him,” Zittel said on his channel about Shakur’s purse expectations.
Zittel clarified that the $15 million target was originally connected to a potential showdown with Devin Haney. Instead of treating that number as an opponent-specific purse, Stevenson reportedly wanted that guarantee for every outing. Zittel noted that while he reached out without receiving a response from Stevenson or his team, his sourcing did not come from Bill Haney or anyone in the Haney camp.
He described the split between Shakur and Zuffa as mutual, with the fighter unhappy about the available money and the company unwilling to meet his price. Walking away leaves Stevenson searching for a backer willing to exceed that $7 million mark. While launching his own promotional company grants him control over his schedule, another outfit or broadcaster still must step up to fund those purses.
High-profile opponents demand substantial guarantees of their own, quickly inflating the total cost of staging an event.
Shakur earned a defining victory over Teofimo Lopez in January, yet his tenure with Zuffa concluded without another appearance. Turning down the Valenzuela bout kept him on the sidelines during prime earning months.
Unless a network or deep-pocketed backer agrees to meet that 15 million asking price, Stevenson will struggle to balance his self-valuation with what the sport is willing to pay him. Standing firm on an inflated number risks keeping him on the shelf while the rest of the division continues to move forward without him.
