WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson reportedly rejected a lucrative $15 million, five-fight offer to re-sign with Top Rank, opting to retire as a free agent in hopes of receiving a better contract.
Are you overestimating his value?
The deal would see the 2016 Olympic silver medalist receive a minimum of $3 million per fight for five fights with Top Rank. Stevenson may be worth less than half that amount, and he may be a cancer to promoters who signed him thinking he would be 24K gold. Stevenson is an average fighter and a money pit for promoters who signed him.
It's doubtful other promoters will be willing to match Top Rank's $15 million offer for Shakur. If they see Shakur as a money maker, they'll likely pay big money to sign him to a long-term contract.
Signing Shakur might work if promoters are willing to pamper him with canned tomatoes, as Top Rank has done since signing him at the Olympics, but if they put him against quality fighters, they're likely to see him lose again and again.
Shakur's recent performances have shown that he's not the fighter people thought he was, but that he has the talent to beat the best at the professional level.
Top Rank matchmakers had made a fantastic match-up to make Shakur a star, but his final two bouts proved it was all an illusion.
Recent performance raises concerns
Unfortunately, Shakur is unlikely to win against a top-class boxer, and if he faces the best lightweight boxer, he may end up 0-5 out of his five-fight contract.
Shakur's fight last Saturday night against Artyom Harutyunyan highlighted his lack of offensive power and his issues facing higher-level opponents that he has yet to experience as a pro.
Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn was apparently keen to bring him into his promotional team, but it is unclear whether he would be willing to invest the money in a long-term contract.
Hearn recently made the mistake of signing Regis Prograis and Sabriel Matias, two fighters he believed were surefire stars, only to then watch them both lose, with their careers now hanging in the balance.
It could be a big fight, but it's unlikely to be won.
The 27-year-old Shakur showed in his last two bouts, against Artyom Harutyunyan and Edwin de los Santos last Saturday night, that he lacks superstar quality and would crumble in a tough fight against Gervonta Davis or six other fighters at lightweight.
Shakur is expected to land favorable bouts against Tank Davis and Vasiliy Lomachenko, but is unlikely to win either bout.
Boxing aficionados and casual fans alike would be interested in seeing Shakur compete against a top athlete like Gervonta, but he lacks the firepower and offensive prowess to match up with that talent.
