From last-minute opponent change to a controversial majority draw, Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta Davis‘s 2025 started on extremely wrong notes. On one hand, it took Stevenson nine rounds to knock out a completely unprepared Josh Padley. On the other, even though Davis retained his title, his fight was marred with alleged favoritism that “robbed” Roach Jr. of glory.

Given the current scenario, the duo needs a mega fight immediately to get back to the top of the 135-pound division. It is a well-established fact that there is no bigger fight in the lightweight division than these two, a fact Stevenson fully recognizes. The Newark native has been calling out Tank for the past few months for a unification bout, with Davis rejecting it every time. However, on Saturday, a fresh update from Gervonta Davis’ longtime trainer, Kenny Ellis, flipped the script on this ongoing rivalry, altering its trajectory entirely.

Veteran coach believes Turki Alalshikh is the culprit

Just hours before the Roach-Davis showdown, FightHype TV got hold of Ellis outside the locker room. With limited time on hand, the interviewer immediately jumped to the main question. “If he is successful tonight, Keyshawn Davis, Shakur Stevenson, they are the champions now at 135 pounds. How do you see those fights playing out? Can we make those fights happen with Tank?” asked the interviewer.

In a surprising revelation, Kenny Ellis revealed that the problem is not from their camp. “Well, they are Turki (Alalshikh) protected. If they can work out something, then you know anything’s possible.” The revelation is quite surprising because both Shakur Stevenson and His Excellency have showcased their willingness to make the fight. Furthermore, the Newark native has claimed that it will be one of the biggest fights of the current generation and is even ready to make it happen after the Lamont Roach bout.

However, Ellis thinks that even though Stevenson wants the fight, “They’re not going to let it. So he’s going to talk knowing that Turki won’t let him do it.” It looks like the trainer thinks that even though the challenge is being thrown out, the negotiation will break down once they agree to it. The only question is, how does Tank’s camp know that even before going into the negotiation?

While the Shakur Stevenson fight is almost out of the picture, Gervonta Davis left the fans with a cryptic tease.

Gervonta Davis will return soon

After the March 1 bout, Tank was bombarded with questions regarding a possible rematch. While the Baltimorean showed his desire for the rematch, it won’t be the next fight. Instead, Davis revealed that he would return to the ring very soon in a different bout.

“You might see it in a minute,” said Gervonta Davis while talking about his next fight. “You definitely might see it in a minute. See y’all soon. I’ll be back,” declared Tank, reassuring his fans. Earlier this year, the 30-0-1 fighter had already claimed that he would fight three times in 2025. Furthermore, given that it might be his last year in the sport, he would be targeting some big paydays.

However, the recent fight against Lamont Roach Jr. might have hurt those plans a bit. Because if Gervonta Davis wants a rematch and is serious about retirement, it would have to be one of the remaining two fights. If that is not the case, he might bow out of the sport with his legacy ruined.

Do you think His Excellency won’t allow Shakur Stevenson to face Gervonta Davis? Let us know your thoughts down below.