With Shakur Stevenson the latest fighter to sign with upstart promotional company Zuffa Boxing, many have questioned the move as it would, on the surface, seem to preclude him from making any real notable fights given their current roster. Talking to ESPN, however, Stevenson simply claims the money from Zuffa was too much to turn down.
“I’m in the money-getting business,” Stevenson told ESPN on Thursday. Without getting into specifics on the financial details of his deal, Stevenson simply said “the
money is insane.”
Stevenson would also clarify that he doesn’t expect that this signing will preclude him from making the notable fights he’d otherwise be targeting.
“I wouldn’t have signed if I can’t get the fights that I want,” Stevenson said.
Stevenson assured fans that he still wants the biggest and best fights possible and he’s in no way looking to take on small time matchups that won’t advance his career. That said, Stevenson said he’s not looking to make a run at undisputed and grab a whole bunch of belts, but rather take on the biggest prizefights the fans want to see.
Of course if Stevenson is to participate in the fights the fans most want to see, it means Zuffa will have to step outside of their edict of self-insulation to work with other promoters who have access to the fighters Stevenson would presumably need to be matched against.
How this all shakes out remains to be seen for the time being, but having a talent like Stevenson on their roster surely brings a little more gravitas to Zuffa.
