Shakur Stevenson has been given the Devin Haney fight, a huge bout in the US and the sport, on a plate, but has made a strange move.
Devin Haney is one of the biggest names in American boxing at the moment and a champion in his own right.
A boxer who has moved through the weights like Shakur Stevenson as well.
What’s more, most have Haney like Stevenson in their top 10 pound for pound rankings.
We certainly do at Boxing News and Views.
Even more than that, the Devin Haney fight was offered to Shakur Stevenson at a catchweight of 144 pounds which would suit him more than Haney.
Now Stevenson is saying online that he wants to fight Antuanne Russell as that is a fighter who will bring out the best in him.
How would Devin Haney not bring out the best in him?
It is more of a challenge and a way bigger name and the fight Haney and everyone in boxing would prefer to see.
Of course, Haney can go even higher in his aim and go straight for a Ryan Garcia rematch as well if Stevenson ducks him.
Haney vs Garcia 2 being a super fight in America and big around the world as well.
But Stevenson vs Haney is a big fight in America and both are pound for pound ranked in the top 10 at the moment.
Two American boxers on the rise at the moment.
Gary Antuanne Russell is 19-1-17 KO at the moment and the boxer from Maryland in the US has won titles at 140 pounds.
A solid boxer with wins over the likes of Rances Barthelemy of Cuba (a former champion), Viktor Postol (a former champion) and José Valenzuela.
José Valenzuela had a big knockout win last weekend in boxing.
So Gary Antuanne Russell is a formidable foe but is not Devin Haney in terms of difficulty or interest from spectators to see the fight.
The Devin Haney fight is at least five times bigger for Stevenson and would make him way more money.
This only shows that he is not interested in the Haney fight further and is ducking Haney badly at this point.
Haney is a three-weight champion and became the youngest undisputed champion in boxing so he knows the value of the belts are no longer important.
He knows it is the big fights what sell and what people want and what people are getting more every day now in boxing.
Haney has a far better resume as well and has fought and beat some great names in boxing.
He has fought the likes of Ryan Garcia, Regis Prograis, Brian Norman Jr, Vasyl Lomachenko, George Kambosos, Joseph Diaz, Jorge Linares and Yuri Gamboa.
Alas, Haney is one of the premier names in US boxing and is coming off the back of a great win over former title holder Brian Norman Jr last time in the ring.
Clearly Shakur Stevenson is scared of Devin Haney.
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