Shakur Stevenson says he would be open to moving up to 140 in 2025 to take on Devin Haney because he feels that “appeal to the public.” The timing is not ideal for a Haney-Shakur showdown next year.
Former two-division world champion Hannay (31-0, 15 KOs) has been riding high, picking and choosing the opposition to beat to capture the two-division world titles. However, Devin, 26, has not been seen since he was soundly defeated by Ryan Garcia on April 20, and there are many questions about whether he will be able to bounce back from that defeat.
Shakur vs Haynie 2025
Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs) already has a full point ahead of him in 2025, with a title defense of his WBC lightweight belt against rookie Floyd Schofield on the Feb. 22 Turki Alashik card in Riyadh, and then potentially a title fight against #1 contender William Zepeda in the summer.
A third fight against Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis in 2025 is also possible, provided the match is negotiable. The question of money will determine if Tank agrees to fight Shakur. Tank would have to be given a big offer.
“We could fight.” It all depends on Devin as well. I am ready to fight any fighter. They called me three times to negotiate. “I’m willing to go up to 140 because I think Devin Haney is appealing to the public, and I think that would make sense,” Shakur Stevenson said. Bet on yourself podcast when asked if he would be interested in fighting Devin Haney.
“Whatever you’ve seen from me, you’re going to see a better version of me on February 22,” Shakur said of his title defense against rookie Floyd Schofield in Riyadh. “I said I’d fight him if Zepeda ducked. A lot of casual fans know this kid and think he’s a good fighter.
“I also want to beat the casuals. If casual like this guy. I’m going to beat the occasional favorite,” Shakur said of why he chose Schofield as his next opponent.
Shakur’s next fight
It’s interesting to hear Shakur explain why he chose the 22-year-old Schofield as his next opponent over the more dangerous Andy Cruz or Raymond Muratala.
To say he focuses on who they like is a weak argument for why Shakur chose Schofield over Muratala. It looks like Stevenson chose Floyd Jr. because he is an easy fight with no risk. Schofield is an inexperienced player who has looked winnable in his recent struggles against minor leaguers.
After Shakur’s close match against Edwin De Los Santos last year, in which he almost lost, he is not risking putting up a good fight and risking seeing the tank fight go bye-bye.
Shakur wants the pot of gold he can get by fighting Gervonta Davis, and if he faces Cruz or Muratalla, he could be beaten. That gold bar disappears at that point.
