In a recent gathering of boxing elites on Saturday evening, all eyes were on the glamorous red carpet of the 2024 Ring Magazine Awards held in London. The event was orchestrated by His Excellency, Turki Alalshikh. It was a monumental night, with boxing’s most prominent figures coming together to celebrate the sport’s finest achievements. This event marked the first Boxing awards by Ring Magazine under the new ownership of Turki Alalshikh, who bought the magazine from the Golden Boy honcho, Oscar De La Hoya last year.

Among the star-studded guests was WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson, who was in attendance to not only bask in the evening’s spotlight but also share his thoughts on some of boxing’s biggest names. During the event, as the 27-year-old made his way down the red carpet, the interviewer from Fight Hub TV couldn’t help but ask him about the growing speculation surrounding Gervonta Davis and his rumored retirement plans.

In March 2025, Tank Davis is scheduled to face Lamont Roach at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The face-off was originally scheduled for December 14th at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, for Davis’ WBA lightweight strap. However, it was postponed due to scheduling conflicts and moved to March.

On the other hand, the Newark native is preparing for his own high-stakes title defense against Floyd Schofield Jr. on February 22 in Riyadh. With two slow unanimous decision wins over the last two years, one against Edwin De Los Santos in November 2023, and the other against Artem Harutyunyan in July 2024, Stevenson is all set up for his first fight of the year. What’s more exciting is, that if he wins the fight, fans can expect a potential face-off against Gervonta Davis for a lightweight unification bout.

Coming back to the interview, when asked about his upcoming fight, he expressed his excitement, saying, “I can’t wait to put up on a show in February.” When asked if 2025 would be his best year in boxing, Stevenson boldly replied, “I think this is going to be the best of me. I think that I am going to take over the game of boxing.” But as the conversation shifted to Tank and his potential retirement after 2025, Stevenson didn’t hold back from going off on his longtime rival.

Shakur Stevenson calls Gervonta Davis “soft”

An Instagram clip from Fight-Hub TV captured the interview with the WBC Lightweight champion. The caption of the post read, “🚨.” In the interview, Stevenson stated, “If he wants to retire with the career that he got. Go ahead and do what you gotta do. I disagree with it. I think that’s soft!”

For Stevenson, the comment might have come from a place of frustration. He, like all other boxing fans, believes that Gervonta Davis still has much more to give to the sport and that leaving the ring at this juncture would be a missed opportunity for the fighter and the fans. However, Stevenson quickly made it clear that he was not trying to chase Tank.

When asked about the possibility of the two facing off, especially after Davis’ March fight with Roach, Stevenson remained cool and collected. “I got a lot. I ain’t chasing people around me,” he said. “If he’s willing to fight, I am ready to fight. I think it should happen. But I got a lot. I can’t chase, trying to make a scene, but no, I don’t need him.” Stevenson’s words reflect his willingness to take on the best, but he also emphasizes that he’s not going to beg for a fight. If Davis is ready to step into the ring with him, Stevenson will be there — but the ball is in Davis’ court.

As the boxing world continues to buzz over the possible showdown between Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta Davis, the future remains uncertain. Stevenson has made it clear that he’s hungry for greatness and that he believes his time in boxing has only just begun. For the WBC World Lightweight Champion with a record of 22-0, 10 KO, defeating someone like Gervonta Davis would be a major step in that direction. On the other hand, Davis still seems confused about whether to continue his career or retire on his terms.

That being said, can Shakur Stevenson be the lightweight division in 2025? And who do you think will win if these two fight?