Andre Dirrell says Shakur Stevenson has “too much in his favor” in potential Conor Benn fight

Dirrell points to experience, skill, and sparring background as key advantages

Andre Dirrell says Shakur Stevenson has clear advantages over Conor Benn in a potential fight, dismissing weight and rehydration concerns around the matchup.

The retired former super middleweight champion pointed to the overall advantages Stevenson already carries into that kind of matchup, rather than focusing on weight or rehydration talk that has surrounded the fight.

“There’s too much going in Shakur’s favor already,” Dirrell said to Fighthype.

Dirrell listed Stevenson’s experience, skill set, and training environment as the key differences. He noted that Stevenson has shared the ring with elite fighters in sparring, including Terence Crawford, and continues to work around high-level talent that sharpens his timing and decision-making.

That, in Dirrell’s view, makes it difficult for opponents to rely on physical factors alone to close the distance.

He also dismissed the idea that targeting Shakur’s body offers a clear path. Dirrell described that approach as theoretical, saying fighters tend to try everything when nothing else is working rather than building a reliable strategy around it.

“That’s just theory,” Andre said when asked about the body attack as a blueprint.

Instead, Dirrell suggested that rushing in or throwing volume plays into Stevenson’s strengths. He described a style built on patience, reactions, and counters, where openings are created over time rather than forced.

The more realistic task, he said, is limiting Stevenson’s opportunities rather than trying to overwhelm him early.

Even with that, Dirrell made it clear that the balance still leans heavily in Shakur’s direction.

The Stevenson fight remains unlikely, with rehydration terms already rejected, but Dirrell still treated it as the more meaningful test. Benn has already said he won’t agree to a rehydration clause as a condition for a fight against Shakur. It’ll be interesting moving forward if that remains something that the Newark native would need for him to take a fight against the popular UK star Benn.