Bob Arum, the legendary boxing promoter, has given high praise to unbeaten WBC world lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson. The Top Rank founder also expressed his desire to sign the young star to his promotion.
Arum's comments came after Stevenson's recent victory over William Zepeda. The fight, which took place on July 12 at Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York, saw Stevenson secure a unanimous decision win. Many have described this performance as Stevenson's career-best and most entertaining in recent years.
In an interview with Fight Hub TV, Arum didn't hold back his admiration for Stevenson:
"Shakur is one of the best fighters around, people say he's a technician but he's more than just a technician. He's a great fighter and he's a fighter that as the years go on, as the fights pile up, people will realise he's extremely difficult to beat."
Arum went on to predict a bright future for Stevenson in the lightweight division:
"So I wasn't surprised at that fight and how it went because I've always been very high on Shakur and his ability and I think that, as long as there's no problem making weight, he will dominate the lightweight division for years to come."
Stevenson, who turned pro eight years ago, has quickly risen through the ranks to become one of boxing's brightest stars. His recent performance against Zepeda has only added to his growing reputation.
With Stevenson's deal with Matchroom Boxing now ended, he's currently a free agent. Arum sees this as an opportunity to bring the young champion to Top Rank. In a separate interview with Cigar Talk, Arum revealed his plans:
"We're gonna present a new deal to Shakur and hopefully we can sign him. Shakur and myself have never had a cross word. I like him as a fighter, I like him as a person, he's a really nice young man. So, hopefully we can work again together."
Arum's interest in Stevenson comes as no surprise. The Top Rank founder has a long history of working with boxing's elite. His roster of fighters has included legends like Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Manny Pacquiao, and Oscar De La Hoya. More recently, he's promoted stars such as Naoya Inoue and Tyson Fury.
Stevenson is expected to return to the ring before the end of the year. While a unification bout with Gervonta Davis doesn't seem likely at this stage, fans will be eager to see who the undefeated champion faces next. And with Bob Arum's interest, Stevenson's next move outside the ring will be just as intriguing as his next fight.
