Oscar De La Hoya has called Shakur Stevenson the greatest fighter he's ever seen. The former champion and current promoter made this bold statement recently, putting Stevenson above legends like Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
De La Hoya, known as 'The Golden Boy', was once boxing's biggest box office star. He won world titles in six weight classes and only lost to the best of his era. After hanging up his gloves, he moved into promotion, helping to build stars like Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and Ryan Garcia.
Stevenson, at just 27, has already made a big impact in the sport. He's a three-weight world champion and currently holds the WBC Lightweight World Championship. His record stands at 22-0, and he's known for his defensive skills. According to Compubox numbers, Stevenson gets hit the least per round of any current fighter.
Despite his skills, Stevenson has struggled to sell seats and make big fights. He's been demanding high purses, which has led to difficulties in setting up matches.
De La Hoya shared his thoughts on Stevenson during an interview with Club Shay Shay. They were talking about fighters who have trouble selling tickets with a hit-and-not-get-hit style. De La Hoya said:
"I'll give you a perfect example of a young fighter right now in that position – Shakur Stevenson. The greatest fighter I've ever seen. Beautiful style, great technique, has the punching power, has the chin, but he needs the confidence to fight. He has to believe in himself to put on a good show and sell seats. That's the problem he's having, he's not selling seats. He's a great fighter demanding all this money and fights are not being made."
De La Hoya's praise carries a lot of weight. He's fought against some of the best, including Mayweather and Pacquiao. But he also points out areas where Stevenson needs to improve, like his confidence and ability to put on a show.
There's been talk about a potential fight between Stevenson and William Zepeda, an undefeated fighter promoted by De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions. While this match-up has been strongly linked, it's not yet confirmed.
De La Hoya and Stevenson have had some back-and-forth on social media, and at one point, there were rumors about De La Hoya trying to sign Stevenson. However, no deal has been confirmed.
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As Stevenson continues his career, it'll be interesting to see if he can turn his incredible skills into box office success. For now, he's got the praise of one of boxing's biggest names – even if that praise comes with a bit of criticism.