Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum has tabbed WBO featherweight champion Shakur Stevenson as the future of boxing.
Stevenson collected a silver medal in the bantamweight division at the 2016 Olympic Games. A unanimous decision victory over Joet Gonzalez last time out secured the vacant WBO belt in just his 13th fight.
This past Tuesday, he headlined Top Rank's first closed-doors event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, when he dominated and stopped an overmatched Felix Caraballo in a non-title super featherweight event.
Arum has compared Stevenson to another Olympic medalist, Floyd Mayweather, who fought under the Top Rank banner until they parted ways in 2006.
Mayweather captured world titles in five weight divisions before retiring in 2017. He picked up belts at 130, 135, 140, 147 and 154.
He sees Stevenson moving up in weight, possibly even in 2021, to compete at higher weight divisions to pursue more world titles.
"We certainly believe that Shakur has the ability and the personality to be the next big superstar in boxing," Arum told Stats Perform News.
"He is dedicated to the sport of boxing, he's extraordinarily talented, he resonates with the public. He has this big smile and I really believe the sky is the limit for Shakur. I know that Shakur, when he started with us he was a kid, as a man, he is growing bigger and that happens. These fighters grow out of their weight category because they start at a relatively young age. Stevenson's fighting at 130 but who knows if next year he hasn't passed 130 and is already fighting at 135 and 140.
"Take one step at a time, let's get this show on the road – everybody look at Shakur Stevenson."
