Eddie Hearn’s two-fight deal for Shakur Stevenson entails him preventing non-Matchroom fighter William Zepeda in his second battle in early 2025.
Shakur’s first battle of his two-fight take care of Matchroom is in opposition to Joe Cordina, a British fighter who isn’t standard within the U.S. and is coming off a knockout loss. That battle hurts Shakur’s marketability greater than helps it.
Delivering the Zepeda Struggle
The query is whether or not Hearn will ship the Golden Boy-promoted Zepeda (31-0, 27 KOs) as a result of he’ll have to work with promoter Oscar De La Hoya to make that occur.
De La Hoya has complained not too long ago about WBC light-weight champion Shakur (22-0, 10 KOs) missing “self-confidence” to battle entertainingly to make him a marketable fighter.
Regardless of not holding a title, Zepeda is a extra standard fighter than Shakur, and he doesn’t want him. It’s the opposite approach round. Zepeda is ranked #1 with all of the sanctioning our bodies at light-weight, and he would earn more money preventing WBA ‘common’ champion Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis.
Shakur left Prime Rank as a result of they couldn’t ship him the large fights, but when Hearn can’t do this both, he might find yourself in the identical boat.
“Shakur seems at that [Jaron Ennis’ rollout with Eddie Hearn] and says, ‘I need that form of consideration. I wasn’t getting that with Prime Rank,’” stated boxing professional Chris Algieri to the Probox TV YouTube channel about what swayed Shakur Stevenson to signal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom.
Will Historical past Repeat Itself?
Welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis has fought simply as soon as since signing with Hearn: in opposition to 36-year-old David Avanesyan. If Hearn can’t ship the champions at 147 for Boots, his subsequent battle could possibly be in opposition to Karen Chukhadzhian. Whether or not Hearn can work his magic with Boots or Shakur is questionable as a result of it’s not as simple as he thinks to take care of completely different promoters and networks.
Additionally, when you could have too good fighters like Boots, different fighters and promoters don’t wish to face him; in Shakur’s case, he’s a boring runner who isn’t a draw. There’s nothing to achieve for fighters to face Shakur, particularly once they might probably lose a call in opposition to a man who hits and runs all night time.
Shakur naively believes that fights will instantly be delivered to him, which have been by no means there earlier than when he was with Prime Rank. Which may not be the case.
“Can he [Hearn] safe the fights that actually matter? The fights Prime Rank couldn’t as a result of that was Shakur’s primary gripe,” stated Algieri. “Can Eddie get him the large fights, or was Eddie simply the man who talked on the negotiating desk to make everybody suppose they may get the large fights?”
Hearn’s Dealing with of Andrade’s Profession
If Hearn can’t arrange a battle with Zepeda for Shakur in early 2025, it’ll be fascinating to see who he does get. It might look unhealthy if it’s one other British fighter that American followers aren’t acquainted with. Hearn would match Shakur as he did with Demetrius Andrade when he was with Matchroom.
As a substitute of organising fights with the killers at 154 to extend Andrade’s reputation, Hearn matched him in opposition to Luke Keeler, Maciel Sulecki, Liam Williams, and Jason Quigley. He then puzzled why Andrade’s reputation didn’t enhance.
“The 2-fight deal that there’s [for Shakur with Matchroom]. The second battle is with Zepeda, who’s with Golden Boy,” stated Algieri. “Eddie and Golden Boy, I don’t know what number of fights they’ve made lately. However Golden Boy and Bob [Arum] and Bob and Oscar [De La Hoya] make fights.
“They will do some crossover fights. It’s most likely simpler to make that battle by there. However anytime you could have fighters in reverse promotional conditions, it’s arduous to make these fights. Is Eddie the man that may soar by the traces?” stated Algieri.
Hearn can probably arrange a battle with Zepeda for Shakur if he provides the precise deal, nevertheless it’s not a positive factor. If he tries to dealer a deal for Shakur to battle Tank Davis subsequent 12 months, he may have issues. That’s not more likely to occur with out Shakur signing with PBC.
Crossing Strains
“To a level, he’s as a result of now we’re speaking about Turki Alalshikh, and plainly Eddie has a really tight reference to Turki, and so they’re having numerous fights collectively. So, probably, you will get that crossover enchantment,” stated Algieri.
Turki can positively assist Hearn get the battle with Zepeda, however most likely not Tank Davis if PBC isn’t on board. I don’t know if Tank is happy about preventing with Shakur, particularly if he seems unhealthy in opposition to Zepeda and Cordina.
“They introduced that Shakur is preventing Cordina a few days in the past. Nicely, Cordina is with Eddie. So, it form of is smart that Shakur is now signing with Eddie. He has a two-fight deal. We’ll see what Eddie can truly ship what’s promised,” stated Algieri. “Let’s see what Eddie can ship as a result of, with Jaron Ennis, he definitely hasn’t but.”
