Recent reports indicated that Vasyl Lomachenko had declined a fight with Gervonta Davis, consequently resulting in WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson being linked to a potential unification bout against Davis. However, any confirmation of a fight between Davis and Stevenson was quickly dismissed by Stevenson himself, as reports of an imminent match were debunked.
It is important to note that fight announcements are typically made by the fighters’ promotions or the fighters themselves. This casts doubt on the journalistic practices of IFL TV after they claimed a Gervonta Davis (30-0, 28 KO’s) vs. Shakur Stevenson (22-0, 10 KO’s) fight had been arranged, despite neither fighter nor their promotions confirming it.
A fight between Davis and Stevenson, two of America’s most promising boxing talents, would be one of the most significant events of the decade due to their achievements and skills. However, the interest in this potential fight seems to have compromised the journalistic integrity of some media outlets, such as IFL TV, which cited themselves as the source for a claimed fight scheduled in Las Vegas on November 23rd.
Shakur Stevenson went on to deny this report himself:
Currently, Stevenson is still linked with the #1 Mexican lightweight (135 lbs) contender William Zepeda (31-0, 27 KO’s). Recently, his promoter, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya, suggested that Zepeda’s camp put forth a condition requiring Stevenson to sign with Golden Boy, ostensibly for their fight.
This requirement for Stevenson to sign with Golden Boy might change rapidly given the recent partnership between Riyadh Season and the promotion, which could use its influence to facilitate the fight without such strict conditions.
Additionally, there is the matter of the WBC’s supposed order for a fight between Stevenson and Zepeda, which has yet to be publicly confirmed by the organization. If this mandate exists, it suggests that Zepeda’s (or Golden Boy’s) attempt to condition the fight on Stevenson’s signing with Golden Boy is disingenuous, as a sanctioning body’s order does not recognize such stipulations. Both parties would still need to negotiate the terms of the fight.
If either fighter refuses a mandated bout, they risk being stripped of their title (if they hold one) or being removed from the rankings for a certain period. Thus, Zepeda’s purported demand appears especially questionable if the WBC’s mandate is genuine.
Regardless, Shakur Stevenson does not seem to be lacking potential opponents, although there remains uncertainty about who he will face next.
On the other hand, Gervonta Davis appears to be at a crossroads following IBF lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko’s (18-3, 11 KO’s) decision to not fight him. With his next logical step as a lightweight champion being unification bouts, a match against WBC 135 lbs champion Shakur Stevenson seems to be the best career and financial option for him.
