Shakur Stevenson has signed with Zuffa Boxing, and the affirmation got here not from the promotion however from a rival. Matchroom chairman Eddie Hearn, who promoted Stevenson as lately as his January win over Teofimo Lopez, advised reporters on Monday that the junior welterweight champion had joined Dana White’s TKO-backed firm. Hearn delivered the information at his personal Matchroom press convention for Anthony Joshua, forward of any announcement from Zuffa itself.
“Shakur signed with Zuffa, in order that will probably be him transferring ahead,” Hearn stated, talking to Struggle Hub TV. In response to BoxingScene, the transfer is just not but official, although two individuals accustomed to the talks described an announcement as imminent. Zuffa has tended to verify its bigger signings at its personal occasions, which left Hearn, for now, as the general public supply on the deal.
The signing had been reported for weeks. Chris Mannix of Sports activities Illustrated first reported in early Might that Stevenson was finalizing phrases after leaving Prime Rank, and White hinted at it on the Zuffa Boxing 06 press convention on Might 10, replying “No? Presumably” when requested whether or not the promotion had introduced him.
Stevenson, 28, is 25-0 with 11 knockouts and holds the WBO and The Ring junior welterweight titles, received by determination over Lopez at Madison Sq. Backyard on January 31. He’s a four-weight world champion.
Hearn praised the fighter however questioned the enterprise behind the transfer. He stated Zuffa pays its fighters roughly 5 occasions the remainder of the market and requested who the promotion would match Stevenson in opposition to, elevating the prospect of a $15 million purse for a bout with O’Shaquie Foster for example. He referred to as the strategy unsustainable and predicted it could not final. The $15 million determine matches what Conor Benn was reported to have earned for a single Zuffa bout in February earlier than he signed a multi-fight extension.
