Shakur Stevenson has announced that he was granted his release from Zuffa Boxing, before preventing for the controversial new promotion even once.
On Monday, Stevenson posted a video on his YouTube channel, talking to digicam and sharing the particulars of his release – which comes just three months after he signed for Zuffa.
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Zuffa, led by UFC chief Dana White and Saudi matchmaker Turki Alalshikh, entered boxing in January and made clear its want to do away with the sport’s conventional belt system, introducing its own championships.
This led new signing Jai Opetaia to be stripped of his IBF cruiserweight title, and it usually ruffled feathers, as did the signing of Conor Benn in February; the British star left longtime promoter Eddie Hearn for rival White, on a reported one-fight deal value $15m, despite Hearn’s support during Benn’s two-year drug-test saga.
The third main Zuffa signing was Stevenson, who is deemed one of the pound-for-pound best boxers in the world, but the American has left Zuffa already.
“I’ve been working my ass off, staying focused, staying in shape,” the 29-year-old said on YouTube. “I’ve been in camp for, like, eight weeks preparing for fights that I was told was going to happen and it has not happened. But look, it is what it is: this is the business of boxing.
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“I’m not mad at anyone, I’m not pointing no fingers, but upon all of these points and issues that’s been going on, I requested to be launched from Zuffa Boxing.
Stevenson schooled Teofimo Lopez in January to become a four-weight world champion (Getty)
“Now, over the weekend, my request has been granted and I am officially a free agent. This time, I want to tell the fans and tell everybody that’s in the public that I am now taking my career in my own hands and I’m starting my own promotional company. And I’m willing to work with other promoters and anybody else that’s out there that’s willing to be as serious about my career as I am about my career.”
Stevenson was seemingly alluding to a collapsed battle with compatriot Devin Haney, which would have been Stevenson’s first bout since his one-sided factors win over Teofimo Lopez in January. That win saved Stevenson unbeaten and made him a four-weight world champion, as he picked up the WBO super-lightweight belt.
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Despite Stevenson saying he was “pointing no fingers”, he did share a video that includes Hearn, in which the British promoter appeared to mock White over this newest development.
Hearn, who beforehand promoted Stevenson, was filmed dancing by Matchroom colleague Frank Smith, who captioned the video: “Mood right now [laughing emoji] how’s your #bodyofwork.”
The phrases were a reference to White addressing criticism of Zuffa by saying that the promotion should be judged on its “body of work” – particularly by the finish of 2026.
Zuffa Boxing co-founder and UFC president Dana White (Brian Lawless/PA)
Zuffa’s struggles have included Benn’s second outing under their banner, after he prolonged his initial one-fight deal. Benn, who outpointed Regis Prograis on his Zuffa debut, was stopped by Ryan Garcia in the second spherical of their September title battle.
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“I’m just excited,” Stevenson continued in his video. “I’m excited to be in this position, I’m excited to be starting a new journey, and the mission is still the same: I want the biggest and best fights available at 135lb or 140lb, where I hold my title.
“It does not matter the identify, it does not matter who you put in entrance of me; none of these guys can beat me. I say give it possibly a yr or two, we will get to 147, where everybody is urgent me to be a 147-pounder. I will get there, but on my time, and not on nobody else’s.”
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