Shakur Stevenson is one of the most skilled fighters in the sport today, but in the eyes of world-class trainer, Robert Garcia, there is one fellow American he believes could be the man to hand the Newark southpaw his first career defeat.
Stevenson dominated Teofimo Lopez to become a four-division world champion back in January and ever since, he has been linked to a plethora of fights against some of boxing’s biggest names and a potential move up to the welterweight division.
However, whilst the newly-crowned WBO super-lightweight world champion may be recognised as one of the most talented operators in the world of boxing, he currently lacks the star power to convince some of the sport’s superstars into a fight.
As a result, despite calling out both Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn, it seems as though the welterweight duo will instead face one another, with Stevenson left to ponder whether he should remain at super-lightweight, drop back down to lightweight, or begin campaigning up at 147lbs.
Should he decide to move up, Robert Garcia thinks that reigning WBO welterweight world champion, Devin Haney, could get the better of Stevenson due to his physical advantages, as well as his boxing skills, he told BoxingScene.
“It is not an easy fight for Shakur, that is why he is not chasing that one. He knows that is a dangerous fight, especially if they do it at welterweight.
“He wants it at a catchweight but if Haney is a champion at welterweight, then fight him at welterweight. I don’t think that Shakur is big enough, like [Floyd] Mayweather was at one point, where he could say ‘I want you at this weight division’.”
“If the fight does happen, it happens at welterweight. Shakur might not want to do that because it is going to be very dangerous for him, fighting a big guy like that. Haney can fight, Haney is fast, Haney has got decent power, too.”
“I do see Haney being the bigger man and maybe I would give Haney the advantage but it’s an interesting fight – a fight that I would like to see.”
Haney seemed destined to fight WBA champion Rolando Romero in a welterweight title unification until talks recently collapsed and the potential announcement of Garcia-Benn seems to have left ‘The Dream’ out in the cold, as he searches for a first fight of 2026.
