Shakur Stevenson Faces Criticism Over Lack of Defensive Style

The WBC lightweight champion, Shakur Stevenson, has recently taken to social media to voice his concern over the lack of enthusiasm among his competitors. Although Stevenson stands with an impressive record of twenty-two victories out of twenty without knockouts, he knows that the big fights he wants will only materialize once a fighter becomes what he terms a ‘PPV superstar’. That raises questions about his career progression, given that his last several performances have not been exactly the stuff that big fights are made of.

Demand for Shift in Materials Used in Combats

The current state of Shakur Stevenson’s career implies that he must bring some drastic change to his methods if he wants to be more appealing to the MMA promoters. His critics have claimed his rubbish, he moves so much around the ring making a fight defensive as opposed to what modern boxing fans love – aggressive fights. Many say that his style is more appropriate to previous generations when the defensive strategy was valued in boxing much more than it is in today’s modern boxing.

The highly expected bout between Shakur Stevenson and William Zepeda has hence been called off and both fighters could face off in early 2025. This delay puts him on a more difficult search for the big fights he seeks. Also, the highly rated fighter, Gervonta Davis who could prove as a good match for him has shunned the fight hence many people and pundits are wondering whether this fight will ever happen.

Encounter with Edwin De Los Santos of Mirage Entertainment

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Some of the desired fights include Shakur Stevenson against Edwin De Los Santos. Their first fight was in November last year and Stevenson clinched a split decision victory much to the displeasure of the Americans. This prompted much debate as to an actual score for the fight which most people were inclined to agree should have been scored a draw based on Stevenson’s cautious movements around the ring and his unwillingness to press the issue with Young. A rematch could be the chance for him to avoid such criticisms and commentaries by increasing his activity and invincibility, as well as confirming that he is worthy of being called a champion.

To recapture his steed and earn his reputation back and make some noise in the lightweight division Shakur Stevenson may have to change his strategy a little. A greater showing in the flamboyant style of fighting might be beneficial to him as he continues targeting the big fights he is keen on and also helps in marketing himself to the fans and other fighters. Taking on De Los Santos once more but this time, to finish him off might be necessary to reclaim his dignity and future high-profile bouts.

Conclusion

The issues that Shakur Stevenson is going through are more of a weakness in today’s boxing, where the style that a fighter displays and the fans’ expectations can affect a given fighter’s career. Stevenson has to stick to his game plan and more importantly, obtain the right fights, he will need to evolve and make the necessary changes in his fighting style and will need to land the kind of bouts he has been craving if he is to make that transition to PPV superstar.