The boxing world is abuzz once again, this time with Gervonta Davis seemingly targeting Shakur Stevenson. After the recent fallout between Davis and Terence Crawford – marked by personal jabs and heated debates over finances – attention has shifted to Stevenson, Crawford’s mentee and a rising star in the sport.

Last year, Davis and Stevenson appeared close to finalizing a fight following the collapse of negotiations for a Vasyl Lomachenko matchup. Initially, there was optimism surrounding the potential clash, but the fight ultimately didn’t materialize, and both fighters ended up with different opponents. Tension arose when Davis accused Stevenson of avoiding a fight despite allegedly receiving a contract. Davis criticized Stevenson publicly, claiming he sent an offer that Stevenson ignored. Stevenson, in response, denied the accusation, leading to a spirited discussion across social media.

Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson: Allegations and Responses

A screenshot shared by @dantheboxingman on Twitter added fuel to the fire, showing an expletive-laden message from Davis asserting that he had sent the contract to Stevenson, only for the Newark-born southpaw to pursue other options. Stevenson, however, dismissed the claim, maintaining that no such contract was received.

“On my life, ‘Tank’ a liar,” said Shakur Stevenson during an interaction with ‘Cigar Talks’ Naji Chill. The WBC lightweight champion further added, “No cap, no cap, if he sent me a contract, tell him to post that contract. Post that contract he send me. That’s what I want to see.”

Earlier, in an interview with Boxing News, Stevenson responded to Gervonta Davis’ comments. The Baltimorean had reportedly questioned Stevenson’s resume. While the Olympic silver medalist acknowledged ‘Tank’s boxing skills, he had a few questions of his own.

Flipping the narrative, Stevenson suggested that Davis should also evaluate his own contributions and level of competition. According to Stevenson, Davis exploits weight clauses to his advantage. “You’re taking the less talented fighters and putting them in the ring with yourself and making them look as though as they are on this level, but they’re not,” said Stevenson, further adding, “So, um, until he fight an elite-level fighter, I don’t want to hear nothing from him.”

Technically, as lightweight colleagues, both Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson could step into the ring together for title unification.

What to expect from a Tank-Shakur fight

However, given Davis’ propensity for early stoppages and Stevenson’s defensive style, a potential match between the two may not be as evenly matched as it seems. Discussing the possible clash, Davis’s longtime trainer, Kenny Ellis, shared his perspective during an interview with Naji Chill. “They can’t be 50-50 if Tank can punch and Shakur can’t punch,” said Ellis. He recognized that both Davis and Stevenson are highly skilled boxers with strong boxing IQs.

However, the big differentiator, according to him, remains ‘Tank’s devastatingly powerful punches – something Stevenson lacks. “Now let’s say Shakur’s behind, and he got to get himself out of trouble. How he going to get himself out of trouble? He don’t have no hammer. So they’re not 50-50. They can’t be 50-50,” he said.

Originally scheduled for a December face-off, Davis and Lamont Roach Jr. will now meet in the ring on March 1. Stevenson, on the other hand, had planned a title defense against Joe Cordina for the Beterbiev-Bivol card, but a hand injury forced its cancellation. Talks of a potential fight with William Zepeda also fell through after Zepeda sustained an injury. Eventually, Floyd Schofield stepped in, and Stevenson is now set to meet him on February 22, as part of the Beterbiev-Bivol 2 card.

What about you? Do you think Stevenson is on point asking ‘Tank’ to produce the contract he claims to have sent?