Shakur Stevenson just arrived at the 140lbs division, but he already had his sights set even higher and heavier after arguably his finest hour as a pro.
Stevenson, the unbeaten four-division champ and newly crowned lineal, Ring and WBO king, barely made it to the end of his in-ring post-fight interview before he revealed his next target. Stevenson, 25-0 (11 KOs), dominated Teofimo Lopez Jnr over 12 rounds Saturday in their DAZN pay-per-view main event in front of a sold-out and record-breaking Madison Square Garden crowd in New York City.
Among those in attendance was England’s Conor Benn, whom Stevenson would love nothing more than to face next – though with one stipulation.
“Where’s Conor Benn?” Stevenson asked while being interviewed by DAZN’s Chris Mannix. “Hey, Conor Benn – we can get it bangin’, boy. I want that same rehydration clause that you put on [Chris] Eubank Jnr, and we can fight.”
The clause in place referred to the amount of weight Eubank and Benn were permitted to gain after the official weigh-in for each of their two fights last year. Many felt that the 10lbs stipulation severely drained the naturally bigger Eubank ahead of their rematch, won by Benn via unanimous decision last November after he fell just short to his countryman in April.
Benn, 24-1 (14 KOs), did not hesitate to enter the ring to confront Stevenson on Saturday but was initially dismissive of the callout.
“You’re too small for me, boy,” Benn insisted. “You’re tiny, bro. You can’t punch, you can’t keep me off you. I’ll fuck you up. I’ll put you down.”
“Sign the contract,” Stevenson replied. “Sign the contract.”
Benn then reconsidered the offer, as well as who is currently financing their fights and how much would be at stake for such a novelty fight.
“Turki Alalshikh, let’s get this fight done,” requested Benn before he shifted his attention back to Stevenson. “Come up to welterweight with the big dogs. Come up to welterweight with the big dogs. You’re a small guy, you’re a little man. You’re already making excuses.
“It’s your night, but I’m on your ass next.”
That remains doubtful, no matter how much money is put on the table.
Benn has dropped back to welterweight after his two-fight set with Eubank. His goal is to challenge for a major title, and he is targeting WBA 147lbs titlist Rolando “Rolly” Romero, 17-2 (13 KOs), who is still on the hook for a mandatory title defense versus Shakhram Giyasov.
During the post-fight press conference, Stevenson was made aware that Benn’s exact response to a rehydration clause when questioned by KGTV’s Kevin Garcia was “Fuck no.” That stance could prove to be a dealbreaker and a shortly lived dream for the unbeaten southpaw Stevenson.
“If he’s not gonna agree, then we probably not gonna fight,” admitted Stevenson. “But he made Chris Eubank do it, and Eubank was in the ring half-dead. Why can’t he do the same thing here?”
For now, Stevenson’s primary decision is whether or not to return to 135lbs, where he still holds the WBC title. A response is expected sooner than later, as the sanctioning body has an interim titlist in waiting at lightweight in Cuba’s Jadier Herrera, 18-0 (16 KOs).
Even if Stevenson gives up that belt, there is no guarantee that he will even remain at 140lbs.
“I’m into big fights, big-money fights,” Stevenson said of his desired path. “I’m into fights where I can prove people wrong, doing things that people say I can’t do.”
