“The Worst A** Whopping That I Ever Had”: Shakur Stevenson Gets Brutally Honest About His Sparring Session With Terence Crawford

Every great boxer has received a devastating beat down at least once in their life, either in a fight or sparring, nobody can escape it. Although the young Lightweight, Shakur Stevenson believes that he can put down Canelo Alvarez in a fight and also defeat Floyd Mayweather back in his prime, he has come out with the strangest revelation. Stevenson is one of the most potential prospects in the Lightweight division. He has won all of his 20 fights and knocked out his opponents in 10 of them. The WBO and WBC 130-pound champion revealed the only time an opponent dominated him.

Who was the opponent? It was none other than the three-division champion and Stevenson’s close friend and mentor, Terence Crawford. Stevenson recalled the time when both friends stepped inside the gym to spar with each other, and Crawford thwarted the southpaw boxer. It was the only time when he got a reality check.

Shakur Stevenson recalls the time Crawford humbled him

It was a casual sparring session between Crawford and Stevenson, and at that time, ‘Fearless’ was just a 17-year-old amateur boxer who faced one of the world’s top fighters. In the recent episode of The Last Stand podcast, Stevenson revealed that after the sparring, he knew that he wasn’t the best and he still has a long way to go.

Stevenson further added that he was facing professional boxers all the time, but Crawford was different. He had never met anybody like him. He said, “We only sparred two or three rounds—they were four-minute rounds—this dude beat me up so bad. I swear to God that was the worst a** whooping I ever had as a fighter.”

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But this did not demotivate him. Instead, he started training harder, as he didn’t want to end up like that ever again. Stevenson gives Crawford the credit for the man he became today, as he’s the one who ignited the spark in him to do better. The fans also went crazy when they got to know about this sparring session. Also, it’s not just Stevenson, the respect is mutual, as Crawford also acknowledged Stevenson’s ability.

Terence Crawford picks ‘Fearless’ in a bout against Devin Haney

After watching Devin Haney vs. Vasyl Lomachenko, Crawford gave an interview to FightHype.com, where the interviewer asked him what happens when Stevenson goes against the Undisputed Lightweight Champion. Crawford didn’t have to turn an eye to reply, as he said, “You already know. Ain’t nobody beating Shakur“. He stated that Shakur cannot be beaten, no matter who the opponent is. The boy is different, according to Crawford.

He praised the adaptability of Shakur against every fighter. Crawford highlighted Shakur’s ability to zip in the distance during the fight and his great defensive technique. Crawford stated that if he’s adapted to his opponent, then it’s going to be a long night. He believes in Shakur Stevenson and claims that he cannot be beaten.

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Well, both of these fighters have been training together and have a congenial relationship with each other. They know the inside out of each other’s abilities. Crawford is ready to pull all his money on Shakur, despite beating him down in a sparring match almost 8 years ago. What are your thoughts about Crawford and Stevenson’s friendship? Let us know in the comments section.