Former world champion Paulie Malignaggi has offered his honest thoughts on a potential welterweight clash between Shakur Stevenson and Conor Benn.
The pair came face-to-face shortly after Stevenson claimed his WBO super-lightweight title last month, dethroning Teofimo Lopez to become a four-division world champion.
It was a truly dominant performance, in his first outing at 140lbs, that saw the 28-year-old drop just one round at Madison Square Garden.
As a result, Stevenson has firmly cemented himself as a top five pound-for-pound star, while Benn’s credentials at world level remain untested.
The Brit moved up to 160lbs and lost a unanimous decision to Chris Eubank Jr in April 2025, before outpointing his rival by a considerably wider margin later that year. Eubank had signed to keep to a same-day rehydration limit of 170lbs on both occasions. Benn’s victory in November has elevated his profile in the wider sporting world, with other fighters now recognising the financial value of fighting the 29-year-old.
One of them, as it happens, is Stevenson, as he called out Benn – who now looks to campaign at 147lbs – immediately after his victory over Lopez.
Speaking with Betting Offers, though, Malignaggi has opined that their possible welterweight match is unlikely to be even remotely competitive.
“I think Conor Benn vs Shakur Stevenson sells because Conor has a big profile, especially in the UK. I think Conor’s profile is a bit bigger than his ability.
“I don’t think Conor Benn is a bad fighter, but I don’t think he’s a world-class fighter either.
“Conor vs Shakur is probably not competitive at all, but does it sell? I gotta tell you, a lot of stuff that’s not competitive sells these days.
“Regardless of the weight, I think Shakur’s so many levels above him that they could do it in any weight they want to.”
Stevenson has insisted that, in order for their transatlantic dustup to happen, Benn must agree to a rehydration clause, similar to that of Eubank, that would prevent him from exceeding a certain weight on the morning of the fight.