“I’m just a regular person” Shakur Stevenson told Joe Rogan recently on Rogan’s wildly popular podcast. Stevenson was right and wrong simultaneously. He was right in that he has no interest in being one of the flashy fighters out there. “I’m different,” he told Rogan. “I’m not like those guys.” Fair enough, but Stevenson’s skill in the ring, which was on full display several weeks ago when he thoroughly outclassed the excellent Teofimo Lopez shows another side of the man. He may be a regular guy on the street. In the ring, however, the man is far, far from ordinary.
He may be humble, but Stevenson is honest about how he sees his career. “It’s just hard work, dedication and God given ability,” he said. “I think for me I’m the most complete fighter in boxing.” There are no doubt many who now agree. “I just feel like I’m a fighter who can do it all,” he claimed. “I feel like I’m the best fighter in boxing.” Again, there are no doubt many who now agree. Indeed the Lopez fight elevated Stevenson from a fighter who might be great to a fighter who is unquestionably great. ‘That scared a lot of people,” he said of the Lopez fight.
Sure enough, Stevenson knew Lopez would be tough competition walking in. “I couldn’t believe how good he was,” Stevenson said of seeing Lopez perform live and in person last year in Time Square. Yet that only made Stevenson determined. “I want to see what he can do with me,” he recalled saying to himself. He’s since learned what Lopez could do with him – and it wasn’t much. Stevenson now has two junior welterweight title belts is his possession. Fighters may want to ignore him – but it will be no easy task avoiding the guy if one is an ambitious junior welterweight who doesn’t want to be accused of avoiding the competition.
Perhaps surprisingly Stevenson greatly admires his friend, the recently retired Terence Crawford, for his friendship and discipline. “He brought my game from where it was at to a very high level,” Stevenson said of his mentor. Greatness recognizing greatness. Like Crawford, Stevenson is enjoying the hard earned fruits of his labor. Soon, it will be back in the ring, however, for there’s always a new battle left to fight. Stevenson won’t be fighting forever. He wants to retire someday with his money and his health. Smart and skilled – a winning combination to be sure.
