Shakur Stevenson Announces Retirement at Just 26, Wants No Part of “This Weak Boxing Game”

In a massive update, Shakur Stevenson has announced his retirement from the sport of boxing at the age of 26. Today, the undefeated boxer turned to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, “I’m officially retiring from the sport of boxing.” He went on to suggest that he would still be involved in the boxing world but not as a boxer. “I’ll be in the gym forever perfecting my craft and helping the next generation become great and chase [their] dreams, but I ain’t fw this weak boxing game,” wrote Shakur.

‘Sugar’ Stevenson is coming off a unanimous decision win over Edwin De Los Santos in a fight held on 16 November last year. The fight was marred with controversy, as many were left unsatisfied with the performance. The majority consensus was that Stevenson tried to avoid any engagement during the fight and thus, he received plenty of backlash for the fight, as it saw the least amount of punches thrown.

Stevenson currently holds the WBC lightweight title and has also won belts at featherweight and super featherweight. He won a silver medal representing the United States at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Interestingly, his retirement announcement came after a tweet from No Smoke Boxing revealed that the WBO ordered Emmanuel Navarate and Denys Berinchyk for the vacant lightweight title.

Shakur Stevenson was not a fan of WBO’s lightweight title match

‘Sugar’ Stevenson responded to the news of WBO ordering three-weight world champion Emanuel Navarrete to fight 2012 Olympic medalist Denys Berinchyk for the vacant WBO Lightweight title. Stevenson wrote, “This is sickening.. S**t is Disgusting my n***a!” In another tweet ten minutes before his retirement announcement, he wrote, “I mines well retire.” This tweet saw a lot of responses from the fans, trolling the boxer and pushing him to go ahead with the plan. 

Also Read: “Let Me Know When Y’all Ready”: Shakur Stevenson Open to ‘Biggest Fights’ While Chasing Vasyl Lomachenko

Following heavy criticism of his fight against Edwin De Los Santos, which got etched in the history of boxing as one of the uninspiring fights, Shakur Stevenson’s retirement announcement at just the age of 26 has blindsided the entire boxing world. However, the question arises whether Stevenson is serious about his retirement or was this just a reaction from him to the WBO Lightweight title match announcement.

Last year we saw Teofimo Lopez announce his retirement after winning the WBO light welterweight title in June. But his retirement didn’t last once it was made clear that he would have to vacate his belt. Lopez reversed his decision shortly afterward. Will a similar thing happen with Stevenson?

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