BOXING
Shakur Stevenson set for homecoming showdown, eyes Gervonta “Tank” Davis
Is Shakur Stevenson defends his WBC lightweight title this weekend, is he already looking beyond his opponent toward bigger fights?
Shakur Stevenson is gearing up to defend his WBC lightweight title for the first time against Artem Harutunyan on Saturday night, July 6th. The stage is set at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, and the fight will be broadcast on ESPN. This homecoming bout is significant, but it’s the potential clash with Gervonta “Tank” Davis that has everyone talking.
As Stevenson steps into the ring for the final fight of his Top Rank contract, the buzz around a future unification bout with WBA champion Gervonta Davis has been electric. The chatter has been so intense that it’s almost overshadowed Stevenson’s current matchup against Harutunyan. This could be a dangerous move in boxing but it mirrors the hype surrounding Davis’ recent knockout victory over Frank Martin.
“I have the best seat in the house,” Stevenson said in an interview. “We all know that me and Tank is going to be the biggest fight in years to come. Everybody and any promoter will want to be involved when that happens. I just sit back and chill and try not to think about it. I’ll think about it when it happens.
“That’s like the biggest fight in the world, if we are really thinking about it. Every hood in America is going to want to watch that fight. It’s going to be a tremendous fight. That’s the biggest and best fight to make in boxing.
“That’s the game plan for me and the end goal. That’s the fight that I am going to kick the door down with. Honestly, that’s the direction I want to go in.”
While Davis has publicly stated that Stevenson is on his “hit list,” he currently has his sights set on IBF lightweight titleholder Vasiliy Lomachenko. Negotiations between Davis and Lomachenko are already in motion, but Stevenson remains unfazed, ready to switch between 140 and 135 pounds to chase the right fights as he steps into free agency.
“I’m going to be at 135 pounds for a minute,” said Stevenson. “I want to be undisputed at 135 and get the belts one by one.
“I know that my time will come. Tank Davis has nowhere else to go but to fight me. At the end of the day, me and him will have to fight, and that’s my opportunity. But for now, we’re focused on Artem.”
With the boxing world watching closely, Stevenson’s fight against Harutunyan is more than just a title defense. It is a statement. As the anticipation builds for a potential Stevenson-Davis showdown, Saturday night’s bout in Newark could be the stepping stone to the biggest fight in boxing.