Comments Thread For: Shakur Stevenson: My Body Just Can't Make 130 Anymore; Moving Up To 135 For Next Fight

[Cypocryphy]

And then he wins a comfortable decision

Lmfao but smfh

Nobody knows. It's very possible ... it just not certain ... less certain after today. That's what I'm saying.

[Cypocryphy]

I'm with you 100% on this, we need to see him fight top guys to truly believe. But he's sooo good dude. I can't imagine him not panning out. I've never seen someone so talented not pan out and I've seen a lot of guys come up over the years.

Names like David Reid and Meldrick Taylor come to mind, but imo they're not as good as Shakur out of the box (no pun intended). Bold statements, but thats what I see.

Definitely. Out of all the American guys right now, he has the highest ceiling. For sure. But I've also seen guys malfunction. There was a time when Broner was the second coming. Guys thought he was the greatest thing since Mayweather, that he was "the perfect boxer." Remember when people were saying that? And at lightweight, he was amazing.

Broner was on pound for pound lists after the DeMarco fight.

Here's Mannix back in 2012:

CHRIS MANNIX: Color me impressed. There has been something about Broner that didn’t sit right with me -- maybe it was the connection to Al Haymon, who puffed up Broner’s record by keeping him away from the toughest challenges for most of his young career -- but after that pounding of DeMarco, there is no doubt Broner is a bona fide star in the sport. DeMarco is an underrated fighter and an excellent finisher, and Broner picked him apart, savaging him with uppercuts, patiently peppering him with jabs while utilizing that (wait for it) shoulder-roll defense to deflect DeMarco’s power shots.

Broner was already a television star; he has the HBO numbers to prove it. Now he has earned his status in the ring, too. Let’s hope he keeps it going. Ricky Burns, who will defend his version of the lightweight title on Dec. 15, is a logical next opponent, and there are no shortage of guys at 140 pounds to give Broner a fight. Finally, a young American star who seems worthy of the hype.

Then we saw what happened to Broner. Saying this now sounds ridiculous. It sounds ridiculous!

I think Shakur is better than Broner, but there are certain similarities that I can't ignore.

[War Room]

Definitely. Out of all the American guys right now, he has the highest ceiling. For sure. But I've also seen guys malfunction. There was a time when Broner was the second coming. Guys thought he was the greatest thing since Mayweather, that he was "the perfect boxer." Remember when people were saying that? And at lightweight, he was amazing.

Broner was on pound for pound lists after the DeMarco fight.

Here's Mannix back in 2012:

CHRIS MANNIX: Color me impressed. There has been something about Broner that didn’t sit right with me -- maybe it was the connection to Al Haymon, who puffed up Broner’s record by keeping him away from the toughest challenges for most of his young career -- but after that pounding of DeMarco, there is no doubt Broner is a bona fide star in the sport. DeMarco is an underrated fighter and an excellent finisher, and Broner picked him apart, savaging him with uppercuts, patiently peppering him with jabs while utilizing that (wait for it) shoulder-roll defense to deflect DeMarco’s power shots.

Broner was already a television star; he has the HBO numbers to prove it. Now he has earned his status in the ring, too. Let’s hope he keeps it going. Ricky Burns, who will defend his version of the lightweight title on Dec. 15, is a logical next opponent, and there are no shortage of guys at 140 pounds to give Broner a fight. Finally, a young American star who seems worthy of the hype.

Then we saw what happened to Broner. Saying this now sounds ridiculous. It sounds ridiculous!

I think Shakur is better than Broner, but there are certain similarities that I can't ignore.

I saw Broner before most people (his first televised fight) and I was the first to jump ship around or before the Rees fight. To me it was clear he was feasting on smaller guys and Eurobums. A former pro I know said he's bumped into him a bunch and he says he's a pretty big guy.

Broner had some hype around him no doubt. I don't see any similarity between Broner and Shakur though. Shakur is precision sharp and unique to himself. Speaks well, carries himself well for the most part. Broney was just a Floyd bite which is why most people; including myself, initially liked him.

[Lance98]

When shakur moves up to 135, he is going to be a huge problem in that division. I see this as a plus. I want to see him in the mix anyway.

[Oregonian]

I never said he was a weight bully. He was young and still growing. But right now? After seeing him in there with Herring and Valdez, I realized he'd filled out quite a bit. Actually, let me change that. I remember in the Olympics that people were calling him a weight bully without calling him a weight bully. They said he was "HUGE" for the weight class. When he fought Robisey, they said that they couldn't believe he made the weight. So maybe calling Sakur a bit of a weight bully might have some truth to it.

I'm one of those guys that believes we should have same-day weigh ins. I think that missing weight or rehydrating 20 plus pounds like Ramirez and Haney is just as bad as using PEDs. I really do.

Anyway, Shakur will be moving up and will be fighting a weight that suits him. He'll be at 140 soon, I have no doubt. I don't see a long stay at 135.

———-
I agree with you on the same-day weigh ins. That is a stain for boxing but it is what is.
At 19, Shakur was still a kid so I’m not bothered by it.

[Kannabis Kid]

———-
Shakur has been at 130 his whole career. 6 years ago he was 19 years old.
Oscar started his career at 130 and went as high as 160.
Floyd started at 130 and got to 154.
Roy Jones started at 160 & got to HW.

Were they weight bullies when they were campaigning at the lower weights?

Shakur winning two belts at 130 says that he’s clearly got skills. He’s now moving to 135. With his high profile name, he’s not going to be fighting unknowns.

The guy is just 25. He’s got a lot of time to do a lot of things at 135 and then 140.

Shakur has been at 130 his whole career? Do you even follow his career? He was at 126 when he won his first title and he didn't move to 130 until 2020. None of those guys you mentioned missed weight in a title fight ever so no they weren't weight bullies they made the weight.

[Dakuwaqa]

When shakur moves up to 135, he is going to be a huge problem in that division. I see this as a plus. I want to see him in the mix anyway.

He beats everyone at 135

Loma being the toughest test

[rickJen]

I can see Stevenson's reluctance to move up.

[Cypocryphy]

I saw Broner before most people (his first televised fight) and I was the first to jump ship around or before the Rees fight. To me it was clear he was feasting on smaller guys and Eurobums. A former pro I know said he's bumped into him a bunch and he says he's a pretty big guy.

Broner had some hype around him no doubt. I don't see any similarity between Broner and Shakur though. Shakur is precision sharp and unique to himself. Speaks well, carries himself well for the most part. Broney was just a Floyd bite which is why most people; including myself, initially liked him.

Yeah, but he just missed weight. Did you see that ESPN/SKY SPORTS documentary they just made? The one where he looks puffy, no muscle definition? Ironically, the documentary opens up with Shakur eating lol. He's wolfing some Starbucks garbage, maybe with a "cafe mocha." (Can't make this up.) Look at the 2:00 minute mark of Shakur walking around town. He looks really soft. His face looks almost pudgy.

Point is that I'm saying he's starting to show discipline issues. If he's having problems making weight, then he would have been well aware. Like Lopez, Teofimo. That kid knew he was struggling to make weigh for about two years before the disaster with Kambosos. Maybe we'd heard him complain longer. And he still made weight!!! Despite everything. He still made weight. But Shakur can't, even though he said it was no problem? Maybe it would have been no problem if he stayed away from Starbucks.

If Hopkins can make weight after the age of 40, then Shakur should have been able to make weight. He's showing a lack of discipline and focus, just like Broner started to when he derailed. If Shakur loses somehow, the kid won't recover.

[Oregonian]

Shakur has been at 130 his whole career? Do you even follow his career? He was at 126 when he won his first title and he didn't move to 130 until 2020. None of those guys you mentioned missed weight in a title fight ever so no they weren't weight bullies they made the weight.

———-
My bad, I forgot about his 126 run. This is the first time Shakur missed weight AND it is wrong. No excuses. He should have moved up last year.

There is no excuse not to make weight at the weight one is campaigning at. I agree. with you.

That said, I’m not going to judge him on this the rest of his career. This is not a Broner or a Chavez Jr case. This whole debate is about Shakur being a legit force. He is now in the most stacked division so we’ll find out. I think he’s Uber skilled