Eddie Hearn recently witnessed one of his major British stars, Conor Benn, call out perhaps the best defensive fighter on the planet in Shakur Stevenson.
Stevenson moved up to super-lightweight last month to defeat Teofimo Lopez handily and become a four-weight world champion at the age of 28. Post-fight, he invited Benn into the ring and, despite the latter being a natural welterweight who has most recently fought as high as middleweight, both insist they want to make the bout happen.
Speaking on First Round TV, Hearn first discussed what lies ahead for Shakur.
“We’ve got to make sure Shakur gets the chance to fight all of those elite guys within his era … I’m talking Devin Haney, unifications if he stays at 140 – Gary Russell, Dalton Smith, Richardson Hitchins – other fighters [like] Schofield, Muratalla. You’d pick him against everybody.”
Asked specifically about Benn – a name he didn’t mention in his list – the promoter admitted it was ‘a very difficult fight’ for his welterweight charge.
“I’m looking at that fight as someone who represents Conor Benn, I’m thinking the only bit I like in that fight is the size. Cause Conor has a big, big size advantage and he will punch a lot harder than Shakur. But, it’s Shakur. It’s a very difficult fight. Conor’s just out of control on smoke and wants everybody … For me, I want to see him win a world title.”
Benn looks more likely to face either Rolando Romero – though the mandatory challenge of Shakhram Giyasov still stands in the way – or the winner of Mario Barrios vs Ryan Garcia later this month.
As for Stevenson, with his lightweight world title now vacant, he is likely to remain at 140lbs, and has expressed an interest in facing Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz. A welterweight move, however, for Benn, Haney or Garcia, remains on the table.