There won’t be anything like it. Every boxing fan will tune in to watch a fight between Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson. But only if it makes it through. The two champions currently dominate the lightweight landscape. However, a unification bout between the two still seems distant. Despite their reign as title holders, both Davis and Stevenson have yet to move closer and take measures to make their much-anticipated clash a reality. For the time being, both are pursuing their careers in different trajectories.

Next year, on March 1, Gervonta Davis will face Lamont Roach Jr. for a second title defense. Stevenson, on the other hand, is expected to make a comeback at the Artur Beterbiev–Dmitry Bivol rematch card on February 22. He will square- off against Floyd Schofield. But despite the uncertainty over their face-off, it seems Davis and Stevenson don’t have any reservations when it comes to throwing shade at each other. At the kick-off presser of the Roach Jr. fight, ‘Tank’ Davis raised a few questions about the Newark-born southpaw.

Gervonta Davis: Shakur, you still need to catch up, bro

Perhaps the shocker that may have caused a few raised eyebrows was Davis talking about retirement in 2025. When a reporter checked how many times he would be stepping into the ring before hanging the gloves for good, the Baltimorean replied, “Three times.”

Earlier, after wading through the standard query on Vasyl Lomachenko‘s pullout, ‘Tank’ faced a query on the possibilities of a rematch with Ryan Garcia and a potential matchup against Devin Haney. Those fights still had a chance, Gervonta Davis revealed. Nevertheless, he planned to retire soon after.

One of the reporters checked for a face-off against Shakur Stevenson. “For what? Like, who have Shakur and what have Shakur done? What has he done in the sport? He hasn’t done anything,” responded Gervonta Davis.

According to him, Keyshawn Davis, who registered an emphatic victory over Gustavo Lemos early in November, came off better than Shakur Stevenson. Another reporter asked, “So what do you say to those who might be saying that you know Tank isn’t afraid of Shakur?”

“Afraid of what? Afraid of what?” retorted Davis. He emphasized most boxers are usually wary of an opponent who can hit hard and hurt badly. These are attributes visibly absent in Shakur Stevenson. “He doesn’t have any offense; everything is defense. Defense is the only winning basketball, and, uh, football; that sh*t doesn’t win in boxing,” said the WBA lightweight champion.

Fans didn’t have to wait long to witness a response from Shakur Stevenson.

The needle barely moved.

“😂😂😂😂 That’s all I could do: gang laugh at this goofy sh*t,” read the WBC champion’s tweet as he responded to a post that featured ‘Tank’ talking about him. After the matchup against ‘Loma’ caved in, rumors of a potential line-up between Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson emerged. It’s a different matter that talks evaporated as soon as they surfaced. It will not be the first time, though, that Davis felt that offensively, Stevenson doesn’t have to offer.

A few months ago, when ‘Cigar Talks’ Naji Chill pointed out that Shakur Stevenson was a good boxer, Gervonta Davis countered: “How? Show me something that he did special. Show me something that he did outrageous. Show me his power, not outrageous. His what defense?”

Even when it boiled down to defense, a trait often associated with Shakur Stevenson, ‘Tank’ expressed his doubts. All that the Olympic silver medalist musters is backing off from an attack. He lacks essential techniques such as ‘slip and punch’, Davis stated.

Perhaps fans will witness more of this banter in the coming weeks and months. The thought of a face-off between two of boxing’s biggest names still remains intriguing.

Do you agree with the observations Gervonta Davis made against Shakur Stevenson?