Shakur Stevenson is in the store window and needs to impress

Written by Elliot Worsell

Two THINGS we know. We know, one, that Shakur Stevenson is an acquired taste, as glorious as it is frustrating, and we know, two, that his days with Top Rank, his current promoter, are numbered because, well, an acquired taste. .

In boxing, you see, winning often – and always winning – is not enough. For the promoter at least it's how the boxer wins that matters most, not just that he wins. Furthermore, for the fans, whose preferences ultimately dictate the promoter's approval, it is important that the boxer has more than just the ability to collect points, no matter what the cost of entertainment.

With Stevenson, 27 years old from Newark, New Jersey, there has been a desire for a long time, for both the promoter and the fans, to bring some entertainment and perfection. The fact that these two things, fun and perfection, rarely coexist in a sport like boxing has nothing to do with the needs of his viewers and his payers, it seems.

That is why this Saturday (July 6) it will be expected that he will not only win against Artem Harutyunyan but win in a way that will please anyone who criticizes the way he used to win fights in the past. Which is to say, ease, mastery, and very little effort (in your face).

It is certainly Stevenson's prerogative how he wins battles. Keep winning and he'll hold on to his WBC lightweight title and he'll continue to make the money he puts into fighting these kinds of names who can, you know, elevate him to this level in terms of promotion and marketing. This happened to Floyd Mayweather, another division fighter who was not winning fights “the right way”, long before Stevenson arrived. Really, what about Mayweather indeed things went well, he went from “Pretty Boy” to “Imali”, it was the influence of opponents such as Arturo Gatti and Oscar De La Hoya, both of whom played as the perfect foil of a boxer whose goal was always to win instead of to entertain. .

For Stevenson, 21-0 (10), the same thing could happen in the future. After all, he is surrounded by big-name fighters, including the likes of Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia. Any of those three could work as Stevenson's dance partner and, moreover, there is a good chance that the threat they will present will be enough to bring out the best in Stevenson and prove to the people that he is the champion he is. it is worth the investment.

At the moment, there is a feeling that there are undecided people on that side. Even his promoter, Top Rank, seems to be talking and talking about the hope of retaining Stevenson's services beyond his next fight (his last in his current deal with them). If they don't, Stevenson will naturally become a free agent, at which point there will be plenty of suitors and a chance for him to find a home elsewhere.

This seems to be the most likely scenario for now. In fact, Stevenson has already said that Top Rank told him to “go and see the market” before returning to them, which means that potential suitors will have the same doubts about the appeal of Stevenson's office as Top Rank.

This may be true, but clearly, whether it is true or not, the relationship between Stevenson and Top Rank is broken, it has been proven. Ever since they brought George Kambosos a title fight against Vasiliy Lomachenko (Stevenson has campaigned heavily), Stevenson has clearly felt slighted, overlooked and underappreciated. By now, he will have accepted that there is nothing he can do about the situation, but he will know, all the same, that he is completely responsible and in control of his reputation and his appeal in the eyes of the fans. That's why a fight like the next one against Artem Harutyunyan is so important, both in terms of the present (to keep his title) and the future (to get profitable opportunities). Beating Harutyunyan on Saturday night is important, yes, but not enough. It's not enough because of the state of war – which no one asked – and it's not enough because Shakur Stevenson, now more than ever, is playing in a shop window, urging passers-by to stop long enough to enjoy it. what you are selling.