Shakur Stevenson’s supervisor on Zuffa Boxing exit: We need people who ‘honor their phrase’

Shakur Stevenson’s gorgeous departure from Zuffa Boxing without having a single battle has stolen all of the headlines in boxing over the previous week.

Neither Stevenson nor anyone linked to Zuffa provided particulars regarding the causes for Stevenson’s release after it was announced on Monday. James “J” Prince, Stevenson’s longtime supervisor, finally addressed the media for the first time on Friday.

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Prince defined to FightHubTV:

“We want to move forward with relationships and situations where people honor their word and keep their word. That’s important to us.”

“We had a contract, so the purses and different things were pretty much agreed upon. It was just getting an opponent. I think a lot of time was spent on the wrong opponent, which was Devin Haney.

“I think Devin wished the battle, I think Bill [Haney] did not need the battle. And I think they figured out a approach to sabotage the battle. It’s fascinating how you hear all of the lies and opinions that people have on what occurred, but the actuality of it is precisely what I just said.”

Stevenson, the reigning WBO tremendous light-weight champion and Uncrowned’s No. 4 pound-for-pound boxer, claimed on social media that negotiations to face Haney broke down at the eleventh hour because Haney insisted he would only battle at the welterweight restrict of 147 kilos, instead of an agreed-upon 145-pound catchweight.

Haney responded by refuting the claim and saying he did agree to 145 pounds, but Stevenson then attempted to put a rehydration clause on him as well, which he would not accept.

Said Prince:

“That’s half of the lies that’s being informed — no [rehydration] clause. We agreed at 145 [pounds], and Shakur was coaching for the battle. I was informed Devin was coaching for the battle. But as you see, some form of approach, at the eleventh hour or whatever it was, ‘Oh, we need to battle at 147 now.’ So, I do not think they ever wished the battle.”

“I think Devin did, [but] I do not think Bill never appreciated that battle — and he figured out a approach to stop it.”

“We had several fighters talked about in our contract that we should’ve been focusing on, but for some motive Devin was the goal. And not delivering that goal, we don’t desire to proceed to transfer ahead with him in thoughts.”

When Zuffa Boxing signed Stevenson, it did so with the understanding he was available to take fights from 135 to 147 pounds. When Stevenson made clear his intention to remain at 135 or 140 pounds, rather than immediately moving up to welterweight, Zuffa tried to make fights for him at 140 pounds but was unable to finalize a viable matchup.

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After failed talks with multiple fighters, including Haney, Stevenson’s future no longer aligned with Zuffa’s immediate plan, and so the promotion was content to grant his request to be released.

Reports emerged on Monday after the announcement of Stevenson’s release that he was offered $7 million to face Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela in January, but demanded $15 million instead. Prince vehemently denied that a Valenzuela fight was ever discussed with him.

Stevenson’s departure from Dana White’s promotion was thought to be “mutual,” though Stevenson has since reposted a video of his former promoter Eddie Hearn lambasting Zuffa Boxing and their “failure” to keep with the pound-for-pound fighter.