In a recent and mysterious tweet, Shakur Stevenson has hinted at the possibility that he may move promoters and land amongst Eddie Hearn’s roster at Matchroom.
Shakur Stevenson, an undefeated American professional boxer, came off a dominant win over 16-1 Edwin De Los Santos in November 2023, where he claimed the vacant WBC lightweight title. At the time of the original article’s publication (June 25, 2024), he was set to face 12-1 Artem Harutyunyan at the start of next month, a bout that was widely anticipated as the last fight in his then-current contract with Top Rank. Fans have often mentioned his name alongside the likes of Devin Haney and Gervonta Davis, citing him as one of the best in the lightweight division.
In an interview with Eddie Hearn, the British promoter said ‘I think Shakur is pound-for-pound one of the best fighters in the world […] he may be unbeatable’.
Hearn says of Bob Arum’s promotion of Stevenson, ‘Shakur should be a star, but he’s not […] he hasn’t been pushed to make him a commercial success’.
He went on to say ‘I think he’d be a great addition to the Matchroom team’, and expressed his intentions to discuss this with Stevenson.
Stevenson’s promoter, Bob Arum, has previously spoken down on Stevenson’s capacity for commercial success:
Stevenson’s Contractual Crossroads and Harutyunyan Bout
The highly anticipated fight between Shakur Stevenson and Artem Harutyunyan indeed took place on July 6, 2024, at the Prudential Center in Stevenson’s hometown of Newark, New Jersey. Stevenson, then with a perfect record of 21-0 (10 KOs), successfully defended his WBC lightweight world title against the German challenger, who entered the ring with a record of 12-1 (7 KOs). Harutyunyan’s only prior loss had come against Frank Martin via unanimous decision in July 2023.
Stevenson secured a unanimous decision victory over Harutyunyan, with judges scoring the bout 117–110, 118–109, and 118–110, as well as 119-109, 118-110 and 116-112 on other cards. While a clear win, the performance drew criticism from some fans and media for lacking the explosive “statement” knockout many expected from Stevenson, particularly as it was the final fight of his contract with Top Rank. Stevenson himself expressed frustration post-fight, implying that Harutyunyan’s defensive approach made it difficult to deliver a more exciting performance. “It’s kind of hard to prove it if you don’t have a fighter who wants to fight back,” Stevenson told ESPN. Adding to the drama, Stevenson wore a T-shirt before and after the fight with a pointed message directed at Top Rank boss Bob Arum, accusing him of “saving his son” (Vasiliy Lomachenko) from a potential fight.
The Aftermath: A New Promotional Home and Continued Dominance
As speculated, Stevenson became a promotional free agent following his victory over Harutyunyan, having turned down a reported five-fight, $15 million extension offer from Top Rank. This opened the door for other promoters, and in August 2024, Stevenson officially signed a promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing. This move was seen as a significant coup for Matchroom, aligning one of boxing’s most talented pound-for-pound fighters with a global promotional powerhouse.
Under Matchroom, Stevenson’s career continued its upward trajectory, albeit with some initial adjustments. He was initially slated to defend his WBC Lightweight Title against Joe Cordina on October 12, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but a hand injury forced him to withdraw. After recovering, Stevenson returned to the ring in February 2025, securing a ninth-round technical knockout victory over Josh Padley. He then faced a formidable challenge in William Zepeda on July 12, 2025, successfully defending his WBC lightweight title by unanimous decision in a thrilling encounter where he showcased a more aggressive style, standing and trading with the pressure fighter.
Demonstrating his ambition to conquer multiple weight classes, Stevenson then moved up to junior welterweight in January 2026. In a masterful performance, he defeated Teofimo Lopez by unanimous decision, capturing the WBO and Ring magazine junior welterweight titles and becoming an impressive four-division world champion. This latest achievement solidified his status as one of boxing’s elite, with an unblemished professional record of 25 wins and no losses, including 11 knockouts.
Implications for the Divisions and Future Prospects
Stevenson took to X with a repost of Hearn’s words, captioning it with only the ‘bullseye’ emoji. The tweet, though vague at the time, clearly foreshadowed his eventual move to Matchroom. With potential opponents like Subriel Matias, Jack Catterall, Liam Paro, and many more as possible next fights, there was, and continues to be, clear incentive for Stevenson to make strategic moves.
Indeed, the landscape of the lightweight and junior welterweight divisions has been significantly impacted by Stevenson’s decisions. Subriel Matias, a powerful puncher with a record of 23-3 (22 KOs), faced Liam Paro on June 15, 2024, losing his IBF super lightweight title via unanimous decision. Matias has since reclaimed a world title but recently lost to Dalton Smith. Liam Paro, now with a record of 27-1 (16 KOs), became the IBF super lightweight champion by defeating Matias, though he later lost the title to Richardson Hitchins in December 2024. Jack Catterall, holding a record of 32-2 (14 KOs), has remained a prominent figure in the junior welterweight division, with recent wins and a fight scheduled for May 2026.
Stevenson’s move to Matchroom and his subsequent four-division championship status have positioned him for mega-fights across multiple weight classes. He has expressed a desire for the “biggest names and the biggest fights,” explicitly calling out William Zepeda for early 2025 and stating he is “ready for anyone who is brave enough to step in the ring.” While he has ascended to junior wel
