Shakur Stevenson, the WBC lightweight champion, is drawing attention for his massive physique ahead of his October 12th pay-per-view fight against Joe Cordina in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Fans were surprised this week when Stevenson was pictured alongside his friend and mentor, four-division champion Terence Crawford, and appeared even bigger than Crawford. Observers remarked on Stevenson’s size and noted how his larger frame may have helped him excel across three different weight classes.
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Stevenson has been training with Crawford, honing his skills as he prepares for the Cordina fight. The New Jersey native hopes to adopt a more exciting, fan-friendly style to boost his popularity and become a global superstar. While his technical boxing abilities are top-notch, his defensive style has not always resonated with U.S. boxing fans who crave more action. Some believe that British promoter Eddie Hearn, who is currently managing Stevenson’s career, might have to shift focus to the UK to build Stevenson into a true star.
Stevenson’s upcoming title defense against Cordina will be on pay-per-view, priced at $14.99. However, future fights might not land on PPV unless he faces popular opponents like Gervonta Davis or William Zepeda. Despite his size advantage, Stevenson has faced criticism for his lack of entertaining performances, which could limit his ability to become a regular PPV attraction in the U.S.
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At 27, Stevenson has long been considered big for the weight classes he’s fought in. His size has given him an edge, but it also raises questions about how far he can go. Some speculate that Stevenson could eventually compete at welterweight, potentially challenging fighters like Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis. However, such a move might be too risky, given that Stevenson barely scraped by Edwin De Los Santos last November to win the WBC 135-lb belt.
As for his upcoming fight, Cordina, a former IBF super featherweight champion, is moving up in weight to challenge Stevenson. Many view this as a relatively easy matchup for Stevenson, who is expected to dominate. Some believe that Hearn has set up this fight to bolster Stevenson’s star power while also giving Cordina an opportunity. Still, Cordina’s team, led by trainer Ben Davison, will need to devise a strategy to solve the "Shakur puzzle" if they hope to pull off an upset.
Read more about the Stevenson-Cordina event here.
Image Credit: DAZN