Shakur Stevenson says the world is ready to turn on him “over any lil thing.” Fans have a more specific complaint. Nearly eight months after he took apart Teofimo Lopez, Shakur has yet to defend his WBO light welterweight title or announce his next fight. Now he wants Gary Antuanne Russell, while Raymond Muratalla and O’Shaquie Foster are the fights many fans would rather see.
“Whole world be ready to turn on me at anytime over any lil thing I love it tho, That’s why I’m gone stay focused and keep showing yall why im the best!!!,” said Shakur on X.
Asking when he will fight again is not turning on him. His performance against Teofimo raised expectations. He spent much of the year pursuing Devin Haney and said in July that he had verbally agreed to an October fight, though no contract had been signed. With October approaching, he still has no date.
Russell holds the WBA title, which gives a unification genuine value. He is a dangerous puncher, too. Yet Russell previously said he wanted the Shakur fight to “marinate.” There is little visible fan pressure to make it now. Adding another belt would strengthen Shakur’s record, but it would not necessarily revive the excitement his Teofimo victory created.
Muratalla offers a more immediate test of Shakur’s reign at 140. He vacated his IBF lightweight title to move up, and the WBO ranks him No. 1 behind Shakur. The sanctioning body has not formally ordered their fight, but Muratalla has put himself in position to challenge for that belt. Choosing Russell while Muratalla waits is fair game for criticism, even if it doesn’t prove Shakur fears him.
Foster has also made his interest plain, offering to meet Shakur at 135 or 140. Shakur wants Foster to prove himself above 130 first. That demand is difficult to sell to fans after Shakur moved up to 140 and went directly into the Lopez title fight. Foster’s defense and timing, along with the friction between them, would give viewers a contest with an established story.
Shakur can make a case for Russell. What he cannot expect is for fans to value every title fight equally or treat questions about his next opponent as a personal attack. The Lopez win showed how good he is. The next announcement will show what he intends to do with it.
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