Shakur Stevenson joins hands with Zuffa Boxing, next fight to soon be revealed

Zuffa Boxing now promote Shakur Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs).

The promotional company announced the signing through a press release and on social media on Thursday. According to the press release, his promotional debut will be announced in the coming weeks. The exact nature of the deal, such as length and the number of fights it covers, were not disclosed.

Stevenson, an Olympic silver medalist, is also a four-division world champion. He was last seen in the ring defeating Teófimo López for the WBO super lightweight world championship.

Shakur Stevenson and Dana White speak on signing

“Line them up, one by one, and I’ll beat all the top guys once I get them in front of me,” said Stevenson in the press release. “With Zuffa Boxing, I’m going to go after the biggest fights in the sport and I will become the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world.”

“Shakur is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world,” said UFC President Dana White in the same press release. “He’s 29 years old, undefeated and already a four-division world champion. This is a massive signing for Zuffa Boxing, and I’m looking forward to promoting this next fight.”

What happens next?

Stevenson currently holds the WBO’s super lightweight world title. However, that is not a weight class that Zuffa Boxing currently recognize. It would not come as a surprise if he were to move to welterweight, a division the company does recognize. That would also mean vacating the world title he currently holds. Fight fans can expect more clarity in the coming weeks on this.

Andreas Hale of ESPN reports that Stevenson signing with Zuffa Boxing was contingent on him getting “the biggest and best opponents” in the sport. Hale also reports that the American signed with the company because “the money is insane.”

Featured Image Credit

Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images