Shakur Stevenson’s Decision to Leave Top Rank Could Deny Bob Arum a Huge Payday

It seems like the promotional partnership between Shakur Stevenson and Bob Arum’s Top Rank is all but done. While the fighter is all set to undertake his first title defense against Artem Harutyunyan on July 6 in his native of Newark, New Jersey, the event could well be his last under the Top Rank banner as his contract with the promotional company is set to expire after his next fight. Such possibilities have endangered the chances of Bob Arum and Top Rank earning big bucks in a fight, which most think is on the horizon for ‘Sugar’.

As Stevenson and Gervonta Davis’ hostility reaches their peak, it is highly plausible that their verbal jibes will soon translate into boxing jabs for a title unification clash. Both Gervonta Davis and his trainer Kenny Ellis have hinted at a fight with Shakur Stevenson. If both fighters win their upcoming bouts, a clash between them by the end of this year or early next year seems very likely. This highly anticipated matchup would be a massive payday for Stevenson. But his current promotional team, Top Rank, would miss out on promoting what promises to be a lucrative fight since Shakur has revealed that there are no plans for renegotiating a contract with Top Rank, and after his next fight, he will be a free agent.

Free agency for Shakur Stevenson?

On X, boxing reporter, Michael Benson revealed that the 26-year-old fighter has shown possibilities of leaving Top Rank and going ahead, he will be fighting as a free agent. The report underscored that it will be the fighter’s last stint under Arum’s existing promotional contract. And after that, the fighter will not be seeking any long-term deals with the promotion company.

Fears of Stevenson leaving Top Rank and even picking PBC peaked last December right before he fought Edwin De Los Santos. These reports were strengthened when his inspiration Terence Crawford, literally did the same earlier, to fight Errol Spence Jr.  However, the senior promoter remained confident that Shakur Stevenson would not leave his stable.

To Boxing Scene, Bob Arum explained the situation. “He doesn’t have to go to [PBC] because we control a lot of the money now. You can see by the fight in Saudi Arabia. And money makes the world go round in boxing,” he noted. Unfortunately, for the veteran promoter, that seems to be the case exactly as Shakur is now seeking huge returns and fights against big-name opponents.

Even with these reports, it seems like the promoter, continues to remain confident that Sugar will not leave his banner. Perhaps, that is why, he envisions a massive clash for him in the coming fall.

Bob Arum sees Stevenson vs. Loma

While a Tank fight would secretly excite even Arum, he looks into the future for another matchup. Shakur Stevenson vs. Vasyl Lomachenko. The latter will fight Geroge Kambosos Jr., this weekend in Perth. However, once both of them finish their current commitments, it seems like the promoter hopes to see them fight each other.

To the English publication, Sky Sports, he revealed, “I have this other fighter, Shakur Stevenson, who is also a great technician. So if Lomachenko wins and Shakur, who is scheduled to fight in July wins, then for the fall to do a Lomachenko-Shakur fight. Every serious boxing fan will be watching that in awe between two great technicians fighting for a unified title.”

Do you think Shakur Stevenson should leave Top Rank to fight Gervonta Davis? Or should he stay and fight Vasyl Lomachenko? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.