Shakur Stevenson says he has secured a release from Zuffa Boxing without combating for the promotion.
Multiple-weight world champion Stevenson, 29, was one of several high-profile signings for the Saudi Arabian-backed boxing promotion headed by UFC homeowners TKO and Dana White.
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He was in talks to struggle WBO welterweight champion Devin Haney but those discussions seem to have damaged down – with Stevenson saying he was now a “free agent”.
“I requested to be released from Zuffa Boxing,” Stevenson said on his Youtube channel.
“Now, over the weekend, my request has been granted.”
Zuffa Boxing has not remark on Stevenson’s instructed exit from the promotion.
White has vowed to take over boxing and his most eye-catching signing was that of Conor Benn, poaching the Briton from Matchroom and Eddie Hearn.
Benn has now had two fights with Zuffa, the second being last month’s fast knockout defeat by world champion Ryan Garcia.
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Stevenson’s last outing was an spectacular win against American rival Teofimo Lopez, when he grew to become a four-weight world champion.
The New Jersey native was eager to be become a five-weight world champion by combating Haney, but Stevenson says he has been left pissed off by being on the sidelines since signing with Zuffa in July.
“I’ve been in camp for like eight weeks, preparing for fights that I was told was going to happen and have not happened,” Stevenson said.
“It is what it is. This is the business of boxing. I’m not mad at anyone, I’m not pointing fingers.
“I am taking my profession in my own fingers and beginning my own promotional company and I’m prepared to work with other promoters and anybody else that’s prepared to be as critical about my profession as I am,” he added.
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Stevenson says he now plans to defend his WBO light-welterweight world title before moving up to welterweight in the coming years.
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