Shakur Stevenson signs multifight deal with Zuffa Boxing
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- Shakur Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs) signed a multifight deal with Zuffa Boxing, confirmed Thursday via ESPN, becoming the most decorated fighter to join the fledgling promotion alongside Conor Benn, Jai Opetaia, Richardson Hitchins, and Edgar Berlanga.
- Dana White, Zuffa Boxing co-founder, called Stevenson "one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world" and a 2016 U.S. Olympic silver medalist who has won world titles at featherweight, junior lightweight, lightweight, and junior welterweight.
- Stevenson is coming off a one-sided rout of Teofimo Lopez for the WBO 140-pound title in January, and sits at No. 5 on ESPN's pound-for-pound list.
- Per Compubox, Stevenson leads all championship-level boxers in plus/minus (23), total connect percentage (40.9%), and jab connect percentage (32.3%), while opponents land power punches at just 20.4%.
- Stevenson's weight class is unsettled: Zuffa Boxing has no 140-pound division, and given its "frigid relationship" with sanctioning bodies, he is expected to vacate his WBO title.
- Stevenson has been linked to welterweight champions Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia, with his promotional debut to be announced in the coming weeks.
- "Line them up, one by one, and I'll beat all the top guys," Stevenson said, declaring his goal to become No. 1 pound-for-pound.
Why it matters: Stevenson is the clearest signal yet that Zuffa Boxing can lure elite, in-prime talent away from established promoters — but the promotion still can't stage him at 140 pounds, likely forcing a title vacancy before his debut.
