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Shakur Stevenson couldn’t help but lash out at some of his divisional rivals.
In a recent Instagram Live session, the two-division titlist from Newark, New Jersey, blew off some steam in response to his name cropping up in various matchmaking possibilities. Stevenson especially laid into Mexican pressure fighter Isaac Cruz, who goes by the moniker “Pitbull.”
The WBC recently announced an ordered lightweight fight between the skilled southpaw and Cruz, a fight that boasts an intriguing clash of styles but is probably unrealistic because of promotional alliances; Cruz (24-2-1, 17 KOs) is backed by Premier Boxing Champions, while Stevenson (19-0, 9 KOs) is promoted by rival Top Rank. The WBC lightweight title is held by undisputed champion Devin Haney (29-0, 15 KOs), another Top Rank client.
“All the other fighters, they busy, Pitbull,” Stevenson said. “They busy. We can’t fight them. They got fights all lined up. So wuddup? I’m here. WBC say make it happen, C’mon. Y’all know them dudes, man.”
Stevenson — who decided after failing to make weight in his 130-pound title unification against Robson Conceicao in September that he would move up to 135 — also had words for lightweight contender Jamaine Ortiz, who recently boasted that he would hand Stevenson his first loss. Ortiz is coming off an inspired, but ultimately losing, performance against three-division titlist Vasilily Lomachenko last month at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. Lomachenko is projected to fight Haney for the lightweight championship next year.
“I saw Jamaine Ortiz say he’s gonna be the first person to beat me too,” Stevenson said. “I see everything y’all talk about. Just cuz he got in there with old Lomachenko and did what he was supposed to do. He did good. He did good. That was me, I would’ve beat Lomachenko. C’mon now. That sh!t sound good though. The sh!t y’all talking about.
“Talking about how Pitbull, the big killer who fought [Gervonta] ‘Tank’ [Davis] and they act like he some type of killer. If he a killer then wussup? Show me you a killa. I want to see how much of a killa you is, Pitbull. Like what we talkin’ about? Oh cool he knocked out an old [Yuriorkis] Gamboa (in April), I don’t care. I’m not Gamboa. You know who I am.”
“They turned down the fight. I don’t want that fight? Yeah, OK. I told you, I turn pits into poodles n—–. I Ain’t worried about sh!t. He ain’t no pitbull to me.”
In a recent report by Jake Donovan of BoxingScene.com, Cruz will probably look to pursue title contention under the auspices of the IBF, rather than the WBC. That has apparently opened up an opportunity for No. 3 Stevenson to go up against No.4-ranked William Zepeda in a WBC-mandated eliminator. The undefeated Mexican is coming off a wide points win over Joseph Diaz last month. Zepeda (27-0, 23 KOs) is backed by Golden Boy Promotions.