WBC Lightweight Champion Shakur Stevenson has hit out at social media’s influence on his career, claiming “Boxing Twitter” pressured him into a 2025 bout with Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield that eventually collapsed. Stevenson addressed the situation on June 4, 2026, more than a year after their scheduled fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was abandoned during fight week.
The proposed matchup was set for February 22, 2025, as part of the Riyadh Season’s ‘The Last Crescendo’ event. However, the fight was canceled during fight week, around February 18-19, 1025, after Schofield was withdrawn due to illness. Reflecting on the lost date, Stevenson tweeted that fans “tricked” him into the deal, adding, “IM IN THE DRIVER SEAT NOW!!”
The cancellation sparked a bitter row between the two camps. Schofield’s team initially cited an injury before making sensational allegations that Stevenson’s camp had poisoned the challenger. Stevenson’s manager reportedly responded by sending a warning regarding a potential defamation lawsuit over these claims. The poisoning allegations were later retracted with a formal apology from the Schofield camp.
Shakur Stevenson questions Kid Austin weight cut struggles
Despite the official explanation of illness, Stevenson remains skeptical about why the fight fell through. Speaking to Ring Magazine at the time of the collapse, he suggested that the real issue was Schofield’s inability to make the lightweight limit. Stevenson assumed the young fighter was struggling with a last-minute weight cut and “probably kinda had weight problems.”
The champion expressed deep disappointment, noting that he felt he was giving Schofield a major opportunity that many others did not want him to have. He described the last-minute withdrawal as a “slap in the face.” Much like the way Terence Crawford may not quit boxing while chasing his own legacy, Stevenson is now focused on high-stakes unifications rather than satisfying social media demands.
Since the Schofield incident, Stevenson has stayed active and maintained his perfect 20-0 record. Following the February 2025 cancellation, he defeated late replacement Josh Padley. He has since followed that up with victories over mandatory challenger William Zepeda and Teofimo Lopez, further cementing his status at the top of the 135-pound division.
Lingering tension between the Stevenson and Schofield camps
The relationship between the two fighters has not recovered, despite apologies issued in early 2025. Floyd Schofield Sr. recently told MillCity Boxing that Stevenson would “never fight” his son, comparing the situation to Gervonta Davis. He claimed that Stevenson only has 11 knockouts and would not be able to “survive 12 rounds” with a power puncher like Schofield.
Schofield Sr. also argued that Stevenson’s team is looking for larger purses at 140 pounds to avoid the risk of being knocked out for less money. He characterized Stevenson’s career path as “running” and “selecting fighters” rather than building a true legacy. This stands in contrast to the era of legends like com/manny-pacquiao-most-skilled-opponent-snubs-mayweather-marquez-cotto/”>Manny Pacquiao, who praised Juan Manuel Marquez’s skills as he faced every challenge head-on.
While the Schofield camp remains vocal, Stevenson appears to have moved on. The WBC champion’s recent social media activity suggests he will no longer allow “Boxing Twitter” to dictate his matchmaking. He is currently prioritizing his own trajectory in the lightweight and super-lightweight divisions, leaving the 2025 Riyadh drama firmly in the past.
The impact of Riyadh Season matchmaking volatility
The Stevenson-Schofield collapse was part of a turbulent period for the ‘The Last Crescendo’ card. Stevenson was originally linked to Joe Cordina and William Zepeda for that date before injuries to those opponents led to the Schofield booking. Similar to how contract disputes stalled the Fury-Joshua bout, injury and illness have repeatedly reshaped major lightweight schedules.
Schofield has also continued his career after the 2025 disappointment. He moved his record to 19-0 with 13 knockouts after stopping Tevin Farmer in a single round on June 28, 2025. While he remains a rising contender, the missed opportunity to challenge for the WBC title in Saudi Arabia remains a significant “what if” for his professional resume.
For Stevenson, being in the “driver seat” means control over his schedule and opponents. He has voiced frustration that “crazy stuff” is fabricated daily by critics, but his wins over Zepeda and Lopez have largely silenced the narrative that he avoids dangerous styles. The champion now looks toward unification, having learned the cost of chasing fights requested by an online audience.
