Shakur Stevenson’s crowning night at Madison Square Garden ended in chaos after the newly crowned four-division world champion confronted Conor Benn in the ring moments after his dominant victory over Teofimo Lopez.
Stevenson made his position clear immediately, stating there is one non-negotiable condition if a fight with Benn is to happen. He insisted that Benn must agree to a rehydration clause similar to the one used in Benn’s recent middleweight bouts with Chris Eubank Jr. “If he’s not going to agree then we probably won’t fight,” Stevenson said. “So he’s just wasting time. We’ll see.”
The unbeaten American questioned why Benn would refuse such terms, pointing to the precedent already set. “He did a rehydration clause with Chris Eubank when Chris Eubank was in the ring half dead,” Stevenson said. “Why can’t he do the same thing?” Benn, 29, fought Eubank twice last year at middleweight following a prolonged absence from the welterweight division and has since indicated plans to move back down in weight.
Stevenson, 28, remains open to traveling to the UK for the bout and embracing the hostile environment of a London showdown. He framed the potential fight as both a business move and a personal challenge. “I’m into big fights, I like big-money fights,” he said. “I like proving that I’m the best and doing things that people say I can’t do.”
While Stevenson has hinted he may not stay at super-lightweight long and could return to 135lbs to pursue lightweight unification, his confrontation with Benn suggests another major storyline is already forming. “It’s gonna be a good beef,” Stevenson added. “I like the beef, I like the story behind it. It’s a tremendous fight.”
Image Credit: BBC