We all know one thing about His Excellency Turki Alalshikh: when he gets involved in a fight, the money flows, and fighters walk away with serious paydays. That’s his reputation. But this time? It looks like the man known for delivering big purses might be backing out of the promise he made. “Is that what they told you? Turki promised me a number and now he is going back on his promise and sending his Towel guys to give me the information instead of telling me directly what he is trying to do.” If you remember this rant from Shakur Stevenson on X a few days ago, you are up to date on the drama. But if not, let us explain.

HE Turki Alalshikh had reportedly agreed to sponsor Shakur Stevenson’s fight with William Zepeda, who claimed the WBC Interim Lightweight title last year after beating Tevin Farmer. And even Oscar De La Hoya, Zepeda’s promoter was looking to make the fight. So what was the issue? According to reports, unless the fight happens in Riyadh, apparently HE Alalshikh wasn’t ready to offer Shakur more than $500,000, for the fight, which is significantly less than what the Newark native earned in his last bout against part-time electrician Josh Padley and what, according to him, was promised to him by Alalshikh. So when De La Hoya offered him a number below that to fight Zepeda in the summer, Shakur went on a rant stating what is noted above. So since Eddie Hearn is the one promoting Shakur Stevenson, what does Eddie have to say about all this?

Shakur Stevenson not one to run away

The British promoter recently had a conversation with iFL TV. Here he cleared up a lot of questions about the Shakur Stevenson vs. William Zepeda situation. So here’s the deal, “Obviously, timing-wise there’s now not going to be a show in Saudi in the summer,” Eddie Hearn revealed. Translation? That big Riyadh payday Shakur Stevenson was hoping for? Not happening. Since it won’t be under the Riyadh Season, it does not make sense for Alalshikh to shell out big bucks to see a fight on US soil.

But don’t get it twisted. The money changes when the venue shifts. Eddie Hearn put it plainly, “There has been conversations about a potential fight with Shakur Stevenson and William Zepeda. But financially it’s different because it’s not in Saudi.” That’s why, even though the 23-0, 11 KO boxer is ready to go, there’s still no official agreement. The purse needs to make sense. And since Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan focuses on bringing in tourism, HE Turki Alalshikh only sees value in hosting these fights over there, not in the States.

So… does that mean the fight’s off? Not even close. The Matchroom head honcho made it clear, “One thing’s for sure. Shakur Stevenson is the champion, he ain’t stepping away from that fight.” He also added a little jab, saying, “There’s only one person that can step away from that fight and that’s William Zepeda.” Although William Zepeda once backed out of the fight, citing a hand injury, Eddie Hearn now believes things are different. In his words, “I don’t believe he will step away from that fight.”

So where does that leave us? With no Saudi backing and Shakur refusing to step in for less than what was promised to him, the fight needs a new plan—and Eddie Hearn’s already cooking one up.

Eddie Hearn has a solid Plan B

In the same interview with iFL TV, the Matchroom head honcho revealed his master plan. And if you’re hoping for Shakur Stevenson vs. William Zepeda, you’re going to like what he had to say. He stated, “Today I had a very positive conversation with Eric Gomez from Golden Boy,” which is a clear sign that talks are finally moving in the right direction. And now, the next step? Hearn said it himself, “And we will be going to DAZN to say let’s make Shakur Stevenson against Zepeda happen.”

Now here’s where things get interesting. According to Eddie Hearn, airing the fight on DAZN comes with its own set of advantages. Not only does it bring in better pay-per-view numbers, but it also ensures that the money stays in the U.S.—a win-win for everyone involved. On top of that, Hearn made it clear he’s all in on the matchup. Why? “Because it’s one of the best fights in the sport and we’ll have that conversation with DAZN this week.”

What makes this even more promising is that both Golden Boy Promotions and Matchroom have solid ties with DAZN, making the logistics smoother than most cross-promotional bouts. “Obviously, we’re at the benefit of Eric Gomez and Oscar are with DAZN, we’re with DAZN. Let’s make the fight happen. It’s a great fight,” Hearn added. So while the Saudi option may have faded for now, Eddie Hearn’s pushing hard to make sure this fight gets the spotlight it deserves—right where it belongs.

Do you think Shakur Stevenson vs. William Zepeda will still deliver without Saudi money involved? Do share your thoughts with us below.