Stevenson Eyes Tank Showdown Despite July 12th Zepeda Fight

Shakur Stevenson continued his campaign this week of trying to pressure Gervonta Davis into giving him a fight. WBC lightweight champion Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs) says Tank needs to fight him so they can prove “who the best fighter” is in the lightweight division.

Looking Past

Shakur already has a fight scheduled against William Zepeda for July 12th in New York City. It’s a bad idea for him to be looking past that fight, assuming he’s going to win, and renewing his push for a Tank Davis fight. He might lose to Zepeda (33-0, 27 KOs), because this guy is easily the best fighter he’s fought during his career.

There’s something greedy about a fighter looking toward another fight when they’ve already fought a scheduled fight. It’s gluttonous behavior. Shakur needs to finish what’s on his plate.

“He said I fought a cab driver. It felt like a hate environment. ‘I thought we cool. If that’s what you want? We can fight,’” said Shakur Stevenson to the Danza Project, revealing how the bad blood between him and Gervonta Davis started after he’d criticized him on social media for fighting a soft opponent.

Flattery Wanted?

Shakur conveniently forgot to mention who he fought for, for Tank Davis to criticize him for fighting a tomato can. Most of the guys Stevenson has fought have been scrubs. So, why should Tank give him artificial compliments? At least Gervonta was being genuine by telling him like it is.

He’s only stepped up once since moving up to 135, and that was against Edwin De Los Santos two years ago in 2023. Shakur ran the entire fight, barely won, and was booed out of the venue. He later blamed his performance on having injuries, but then didn’t take a rematch and hasn’t fought anyone good since.

“I guess it’s not meant to be between me and him to be cool,” said Shakur, making it clear that he wanted Tank Davis to praise him for beating a tomato can rather than telling the truth. “I guarantee [he’s] sensitive as hell. It’s okay for us not to be cool, but if that’s the case, I think we should be fighting.”

Just because Tank criticizes Shakur for fighting poor opposition, it doesn’t mean he has to automatically give him a payday that he doesn’t deserve. Shakur must understand that’s not the way things work in the real world. He’s trying to cut corners by going from the electrician, Josh Padley, to Tank.

“It should be something that is happening that is going to make a fight between me and him,” continued Shakur. “I don’t think he should be going to fight this person, that person, and the next person, or have all these other fights lined up, and I’m not one of them. I’m the guy, bro.”

Earn the Shot

The problem is, he’s NOT the guy. Stevenson hasn’t fought the right people to put him in a position for a fight against Tank, because Padley, Artur Harutyunyan, and De Los Santos are not the right guys that he needed to fight. He’s proven he’s good enough yet to share the ring with the King of the division.

Shakur needs to run this little gauntlet first:

Andy Cruz
Raymond Muratalla
Abdullah Mason
Jadier Herrera
Lamont Roach
Tevin Farmer
William Zepeda

“I’m the guy that the boxing world wants to see you fight. When you go places, all you hear is ‘Shakur and Tank.’ I know when he goes places, I know he hears my name. Let’s make this s*** happen, dog. Let’s fight. I’ve said, ‘You are the big superstar. I’m cool with that. Let’s just fight. Let’s negotiate.’

“Me and [Tank] could even get on the phone and negotiate. I’d be cool with it. I’m not tripping. It’s boxing. It’s an entertainment business. We’re going to go in there and put on a show for the fans and show the world who is the best. Me and him need to show the world who’s the best. To fix both of our legacies, somebody has to lose. Me or you. Come on,” said Shakur.