Bob Arum, the promoter of Top Rank, has stated that Shakur Stevenson’s desired fights against Emanuel Navarrete and Vasily Lomachenko are currently unavailable. This is due to the fact that both fighters are taking advantage of world title opportunities in the lightweight division. Arum advises Stevenson, who recently retired out of frustration, to be patient as these matches will become available to him in due time. In the meantime, Arum suggests that there are numerous intriguing fights for Stevenson at lightweight that he can take advantage of. Although Arum does not specify potential opponents, there are some viable options for Stevenson if he decides to come out of retirement.
Arum acknowledges Stevenson’s desire to face Navarrete, the current WBO champion at 130 pounds, who is moving up to the 135-pound division. However, it remains uncertain whether Arum can secure the fight with Navarrete, as his management will only consider it if there is a substantial financial incentive. Instead, Navarrete has been ordered to face Denys Berinchyk for the vacant WBO lightweight title.
Regarding Lomachenko, he has chosen to accept a lucrative offer to fight George Kambosos for the IBF lightweight title in Australia on May 12th. As the WBC champion at 135 pounds, Stevenson has plenty of other talented fighters to face. If Lomachenko is successful against Kambosos or if Navarrete becomes the WBO champion, a potential fight between Stevenson and either of them could be arranged in the future.
Arum emphasizes the importance of patience in the sport of boxing, even for someone as talented as Stevenson. While he understands Stevenson’s frustration, he believes that the young fighter has now realized the need for patience and that the big fights will eventually come his way.