Shakur Stevenson and Jose Valenzuela slug it out on social media

In the past few days, an interesting exchange between world-class southpaws occurred, as former WBA junior-welterweight champion Jose “El Rayo” Valenzuela publicly challenged four-weight and current WBO World junior-welterweight champion Shakur Stevenson, triggering a blunt exchange between the two.

On August 1, Stevenson, 25-0 (11 KOs), offered encouragement to Lamont Roach via X before his Saturday fight with William Zepeda for the vacant WBC lightweight championship. Roach would go on to lose a unanimous decision.

“Fuck it Lamont go to work so me and u can bang out for the best 135 pounder on da planet,” said Stevenson.

The post prompted current WBA No. 3-ranked lightweight Valenzuela, 16-3 (10 KOs), to respond.

For context, Valenzuela was last seen knocking out Edwin De Los Santos in two rounds on the Zuffa 08 card in June, avenging a KO loss to the Dominican in 2022.

Further to that, Valenzuela lifted the WBA junior-welterweight title from defending champ Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz via split decision in August 2024 but lost the belt by suffering a unanimous decision loss to Gary Antuanne Russell in his first defense in March 2025. Lamont Roach fought to a majority draw with Cruz for the WBC Interim world junior-welterweight championship in December 2025.

“Calling Roach the best 135-pounder after a draw with Pitbull is wild. I beat Pitbull. And I’m coming off a KO win over DLS. If you really want to prove who’s the best, let’s fight.”

Two days later, on August 3, Stevenson came back with a scathing response. 

“I understand u want a pay day g I respect it.. Once again I would take u more serious if Gary didn’t beat the dog shit out of u.. Did u win a round? And DLS didn’t fight more than 1 round in 3 years I was not impressed u seen when he was active he knocked your head off.”

Undeterred, Valenzuela came back with, “You keep bringing up the past because you don’t want to talk about the present. I’m coming off a KO, you’re tweeting. If it’s really easy work, come collect. I’m looking at you as a come up, not a paycheck.”

“U could hold my towels for my next fight champ that’s the closest you’ll get to greatness,” replied Stevenson.

In response, Valenzuela fired the, thus far, final shot of the exchange. 

“Great? You were chasing a Roach fight. Now you got your little bros trying to fight your battles. Come put in work pussy.”

For Stevenson, last seen moving up in weight to take away Teofimo Lopez’s WBO junior-welterweight title in January, facing Valenzuela next is unlikely but not impossible as both are signed to Zuffa Boxing. WBO President Gustavo Olivieri recently told Cigar Talk that next month he will send Stevenson a letter notifying him that he must face his mandatory before November. 

Stevenson’s current No. 1 contender is Emiliano Vargas, however Olivieri also stated that IBF lightweight champion Raymond Muratalla could be next if he requests to be so.

Talks have also been revived recently for Stevenson to face three-weight and current WBO welterweight champ Devin Haney at a catchweight of 144lbs, now that Keyshawn Davis has opted out of facing Haney next.