“I would love for it to happen, but the way he went on like social media and bashed me in a way to where he made it seem like I need him,” Stevenson said during an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience. “I just feel disrespected about it because I’m a grown man, I make my own money, I’m living a spectacular life. I don’t need nobody. If he feels as though I need him, and it’s that kind of stuff, then whatever. I’m not in need of that fight.”
The wording reflects a noticeable change in posture. Shakur moved up to 135 pounds in 2023 and quickly focused much of his public messaging on Gervonta. He repeatedly told fans he believed his skill would be too much for the knockout artist and argued that the fight represented the biggest matchup available in the division.
Tank rarely engaged with that campaign, and the two fighters continued along separate paths. The fight that once seemed like a natural collision between elite lightweights has never progressed beyond public talk.
The situation around Stevenson’s career has changed during that time. Saudi-backed boxing events funded through initiatives tied to Turki Alalshikh have introduced enormous purses into the sport, giving fighters another avenue to secure major paydays without depending on traditional pay-per-view rivalries.
That change reduces the pressure on contenders to chase a single opponent for financial reasons. A fighter who once depended on the biggest draw in the division to unlock elite money can now earn similar purses through Saudi-supported events featuring different opponents.
Shakur’s comments suggest that reality has altered how he views the Tank situation. The fight may still appeal competitively, but his message now emphasizes independence rather than pursuit.
The rivalry, therefore, exists in a different space than it did two years ago. Stevenson once presented the matchup as a necessary proving ground for the lightweight division. His latest remarks present it as an option rather than an obligation, a tone tied to the changing economics around the sport’s top fighters.
Whether that change eventually brings the two champions together remains uncertain. For now, Shakur appears comfortable presenting the Davis fight as something he would welcome rather than something he needs.
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