Let’s be clear: last Saturday, it was Shakur Stevenson versus Artem Harutyunyan, not Shakur Stevenson versus the world! But one can’t blame the fans. For a moment, it did appear as if the lightweight champion was at war with every second person who had something to say about his fighting style or sellability. It is natural for emotions to run high. The problem is, as it is observed, quite often lines get blurred in such instances. Even a friendly fire appears to be one coming from the enemy’s bunkers, as the situation below suggests.

Andre Berto released a series of tweets. It appears that the former WBC welterweight champion was trying to clarify the situation after what he seemingly felt was a needless online outburst from Shakur Stevenson. From former middleweight champion Ishe Smith to Olympian and former light heavyweight interim champion Marcus Browne, fans saw the Newark-born Southpaw go full-on against anyone who considered him a ‘boring’ fighter.

Old guard to Shakur Stevenson: Criticism is a tool to use

The thread shows Berto telling Stevenson not to lose composure over all those who seemed hell-bent on taking him down for one reason or another. “Sit back, see, and try to understand why everyone sees this as a flaw in his game and adjust,” advised the former world champion of Haitian heritage.

Andre Berto advised Shakur Stevenson on the cornerstone of the business that he was into: boxing. He suggested that the champion should always keep a watchful eye. All the while, he should remain flexible to the demands of the time. In the next tweet, Berto emphasized the sheer unpredictability of boxing fans. They won’t hesitate to berate a fighter who would have given an outstanding fight earlier. He said, “He’s (Shakur) wasting his finger energy tweeting right now.”

There appears to have been some interaction between the former champion and the current lightweight title holder. However, the latter’s tweet does not come across as deleted. Nevertheless, Berto went ahead and replied, “I wasn’t disrespectful at all.” Then he spoke at length about where his achievements stand.

His triumphs stand way ahead of the number of summers Stevenson has spent on earth. Berto subsequently stressed that his career lasted well over two decades. But all along, he handled the incoming criticisms maturely, with the intention of offering constructive counsel.

It appears the banter is far from over. Shakur Stevenson responded to Berto’s latest tweet.

The Stevenson clap back

The Olympic silver medalist said, “And still was A** STRAIGHT straight dog I Beat yo a** a couple years ago in the gym. Did you forget dumb a** ni**a stop it?” The ‘Beast’ found it absolutely preposterous. To which Stevenson once again shot back, saying, “Damn, Ni**a got Amnesia Belt 2 a** by a 126-pounder.. I always thought u was trash, but after I sparred u it confirm how sh*tty u really was as a boxer.” Andre Berto responded back with a huge laugh and subsequently shared a few posts with a piece of advice for all the young boxers out there.

There might be some point in what the former WBC champion said. Fans of combat sports change their colors like chameleons. A brilliant outing, and they would put a boxer on the pedestal. But a contest follows where he has the chance to display outstanding technical skills, and the same support won’t waste much time tearing up the fight apart, questioning his ability.

No one questions Shakur Stevenson’s talent. Perhaps it would be best to wait and watch the next fight. The Newark Southpaw may finally deliver the kind of fight all the fans have been eagerly anticipating from a one-of-a-kind champion like Stevenson.

What’s your take on Shakur Stevenson’s Twitter battles? Do you feel that he might as well ignore all those naysayers and continue to focus on his next battles?