Promoter Bob Arum states that free agent Shakur Stevenson gained’t be in demand by the highest promoters Eddie Hearn and Al Haymon.
Eddie Hearn’s Monetary Constraints
Arum says he spoke to Matchroom promoter Hearn, who instructed him that he wouldn’t have the ability to pay WBC light-weight champion Shakur the form of cash that he was getting for his promotional firm Prime Rank.
The legendary promoter Arum says Al Haymon isn’t wanting so as to add new fighters to his PBC firm as a result of he doesn’t have sufficient dates to battle, and lots of of them are leaving.
“The issue is, he gained’t be as a result of I talked to Eddie [Hearn] in England, and Eddie mentioned, ‘I ain’t going to pay him the cash you guys pay him,’” mentioned promoter Bob Arum to Cigar Speak about his view that Shakur Stevenson gained’t be extremely sought by different promoters now that he’s a free agent after his contract with Prime Rank expired.
You may’t blame Hearn for not eager to pay Shakur the cash that Arum has as a result of he already has one other fighter with the identical type as him, Richardson Hitchins, and he’s failing to achieve reputation. The very last thing Hearn wants is to signal Shakur, cope with his low scores, and be averted by different prime fighters.
Stevenson (21-0, 10 KOs) doesn’t have the fan base for to usher in huge numbers like Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, so he’s not going to have the ability to command the cash he would need as a free agent.
Apparently, regardless of Stevenson’s lack of recognition, boring combating type, and poor future outlook, Arum nonetheless needs to re-sign him to his Prime Rank firm with a brand new contract. It’s unclear if Arum hopes that Shakur will at some point flip right into a gold mine like Floyd Mayweather Jr. did along with his boring combating type.
Mayweather’s combating type was security first and non-entertaining, but he gained quite a lot of curiosity from followers and have become a big-money star. Might it’s that Arum thinks Shakur can turn out to be that kind of fighter?
Like Mayweather, Shahkur won’t ever be a crowd-pleaser, and he could possibly be become a star with out being entertaining if sufficient followers get pleasure from his newbie fencing type take attention-grabbing.
Al Haymon’s Roster Saturation
“I don’t assume Al Haymon [of PBC] is wanting so as to add any extra fighters,” mentioned Arum. “A lot of his fighters are leaving as a result of he doesn’t have the dates. So, Shakur is between a rock and a tough place. He’s an excellent fighter, and I like selling him.”
Shakur may need issues getting battle dates if he does ink with PBC, and he nonetheless may not get the Tank Davis battle that he’s been pushing for.
“I encourage him to exit in free company and have a look at different potentialities, and if there’s nothing higher, he ought to come again to us [Top Rank] if he was the form of fighter that was a giant draw like Tank Davis, who has no downside combating anyone as a result of he brings to the desk lots of of 1000’s of followers,” mentioned Arum about Shakur.
If Shakur does signal with PBC, he might discover himself assigned to undercards like David Benavidez. If he can’t usher in PPV buys or scores, it might be dangerous for PBC to place him in a headliner spot on one in all their Prime Video playing cards.
“Shakur, due to his type, doesn’t. He’s an ideal fighter, however he doesn’t have an incredible following,” mentioned Arum. “So, to get a stage A fighter to battle him, they are saying, ‘Why? We’re going to have a tricky time beating him if we will ever beat him, and what does he carry to the desk?’ That’s the issue in boxing.”
You may’t name a fighter that doesn’t need to interact a “nice fighter.” Arum goes a bit overboard along with his reward of Shakur, as he’s accomplished nothing to indicate greatness in his fights. His greatest wins have been boring performances the place he hit, ran, and held in opposition to Oscar Valdez and Edwin De Los Santos.
“He needs to battle Lomachenko. Now, that will be an ideal battle, however when the whole lot is laid out for Lomachenko, and he has the chance to [either] Shakur or Tank Davis, he’s going to make a hell of much more cash combating Tank Davis,” mentioned Arum.
Lomachenko has by no means proven curiosity in combating Shakur Stevenson, so it’s not shocking that he went within the path of a battle in opposition to Tank Davis. Loma is aware of what Shakur is about, and he doesn’t must chase him across the ring for 12 rounds.