WBC lightweight champ Shakur Stevenson is as we know in action tonight, against Mexican slugger William Zepeda, live on DAZN PPV. And we fans hope action proves to be the operative word. The knock on Stevenson is that he has been dull, and safety-first in some of his fights, and the talented southpaw is in need of an exciting performance.
One man who has been very critical of Stevenson is Irish legend, former featherweight champ Barry McGuigan. Writing in his regular column for The Mirror, McGuigan made his feelings known on Stevenson’s recent bashing of the incomparable Sugar Ray Robinson. McGuigan really took offence at the way Stevenson referred to the best to ever do it as “buns.”
Can Stevenson Silence Critics with Zepeda KO?
In addition, Stevenson stated that Terence Crawford would have “run rings around” the original Sugar Ray. Stevenson either doesn’t know his boxing history and he is ignorant, or he is merely spouting off crazy things so as to get some attention. That’s just my take on this one. Here’s what Barry wrote about Stevenson and his sacrilegious comments.
“Before taking down the great Sugar Ray Robinson, the not so great Shakur Stevenson should take a look at himself,” McGuigan writes. “Stevenson dismissed Robinson as ‘buns’ during the build-up (to tonight’s fight). Buns is not a compliment. According to Stevenson, Terence Crawford would run rings around him. Not at welterweight he wouldn’t. Besides, how would Stevenson know? He never takes a risk. The thing that annoys me about Stevenson is he fights so negatively. The self-preservation button is always on. Does he have the intestinal fortitude Robinson had? Not a chance. Stevenson has 11 KO’s in 23 unbeaten bouts. He does not got for it. Robinson went for it. Sugar Ray Leonard went for it.”
Agreed on all counts here. McGuigan goes on to write how Stevenson is “from the Floyd Mayweather school of safety-first fighting, but he is not in ‘Pretty Boy’s’ class.” Also, Barry writes that, “until Stevenson gets close to achieving what Robinson did I’d advise him to stay silent.”
However, McGuigan signs off by writing how, “if Stevenson flattens Zepeda, I might start listening.” Still, McGuigan doesn’t see that happening, even though he writes how Zepeda, with his “typical Mexican style,” is “predictable and easy to hit, so perfect for Stevenson to polish his record.”
Just why Stevenson chose to tear into such a hugely admired fighter in Sugar Ray is a mystery. Bottom line: Shakur should show more class. As McGuigan also writes of the unbeaten 135 pounder: “He is not fit to lace Robinson’s boots and has not earned the right to bitch about an all-time great.”
Amen to that.