A test of patience for Shakur Stevenson fans. The lightweight champion, who fought emergency stand-in Josh Padley on Riyadh Season’s ‘Last Crescendo,’ may likely have to wait till September for the much-anticipated matchup with Gervonta Davis. The clamor for the ‘Tank’ fight has been gaining strength for some time now.

If the Stevenson-Davis fight pulls through, then a warm-up bout makes sense. ‘Tank’ has one in hand – the rematch with Lamont Roach Jr. For Shakur Stevenson, the predicament nevertheless continues. Tomorrow in Cancun, Mexico, Stevenson’s mandatory challenger, William Zepeda, will face Tevin Farmer, four months after the duo’s hotly debated showdown on the ‘Latino Night.’ With Davis and Roach Jr. all set for a tentative June showdown and hopes for other alternatives growing slim, Team Stevenson believes it’s better to wait and watch.

Team Shakur Stevenson: See how things unfold

Fight Hub TV sat down with Eddie Hearn for a tête-à-tête. The Q&A began with Shakur Stevenson’s next course of action. “I want to talk to you a bit about Shakur. What’s next for him? Obviously we have Zepeda versus Farmer. Are you looking to put him in against the winner of that? And who do you think wins that fight?”

Eddie Hearn made it clear – William Zepeda was initially mandated to fight Stevenson by the WBC. Instead, he chose a rematch with Tevin Farmer. But Hearn emphasized that he was fine with the arrangement. After beating Farmer, he expected Zepeda to honor the fight with Stevenson. Fans may recall Zepeda and Stevenson were lined up for a face-off in February. But the fight caved in after Zepeda injured his left arm. Thereafter, Stevenson proceeded for the Schofield face-off and eventually ended up fighting Josh Padley, who joined in the eleventh hour.

So a fight with Zepeda is ‘the one that is supposed to be next,’ stressed Hearn. But he revealed that they are willing to wait for the ‘Tank’ fight till September. So he clarified, “But at the same time, we’ll go straight into a Tank fight if they want. Tank’s fighting, I think, on June 21st. We’re happy to wait till September for that fight,” said the Matchroom honcho.

There are backup choices, but too many factors are at play

So what will Stevenson do in between? To prepare for the big fight, will he proceed with a tune-up? Hearn hoped to rope in Zepeda for the purpose. But “If not Zepeda and he goes elsewhere?” the reporter probed. Hearn shared that it basically depends on how well Stevenson’s hand injuries heal. The lightweight champion had reportedly hurt both his hands during the Padley fight. Even otherwise, it’s been a persistent problem.

“Depends on his hands. You know he hurt his hands a little bit against Padley. He does need the time to just recover from that. But if he was to land the Tank fight for September, I’m sure he’d wait,” stated Eddie Hearn. The reporter checked for one more alternate: Tevin Farmer.

But it seems a matchup with Farmer, despite his reputation, is not something that interests Hearn. He dismissed Farmer as a relevant fight for Shakur, saying it’s not what fans are asking for and wouldn’t motivate Stevenson.

Yes, Stevenson needs time to recuperate. But moving forward with a fight against someone like Gervonta Davis without solid preparation is like playing with fire. The team would be wise to assess the situation carefully. More so, given Tank’s noncommittal stance on the fight and his retirement plans, they shouldn’t pin too many hopes on it.

What do you think? Is Shakur Stevenson holding out until September for a ‘Tank’ fight a smart move?