Shakur Stevenson may have another landing spot after leaving Zuffa Boxing, but DAZN and Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions would have to decide whether they’re willing to pay him like a proven pay-per-view star.
DAZN and MVP are reportedly trying to sign the unbeaten WBO junior welterweight champion, according to Pugboxing. The report comes as Stevenson faces a 20-day window to negotiate a mandatory defense against Raymond Muratalla. No agreement with DAZN or MVP has been announced.
Stevenson left Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing this month without fighting for the promotion. He said he had gone through training camps for fights that never happened, and his release made him a free agent.
A move to DAZN could put the 29-year-old on the same platform as Devin Haney, who recently announced a partnership with the streaming service. Haney had been Stevenson’s preferred opponent, but talks failed, with the two camps offering conflicting explanations for what went wrong.
Being on the same platform wouldn’t guarantee that fight. The camps would still have to agree on the weight, purse, and other terms that stood in the way before.
Muratalla is the more immediate concern. The WBO has ordered Stevenson to negotiate with its No. 1 contender, a former IBF lightweight champion. If the camps cannot reach an agreement within 20 days, the sanctioning body could call a purse bid.
That gives any potential partner a decision to make. Would DAZN and MVP be willing to finance the Muratalla defense, or would Stevenson pursue another fight and risk losing his WBO title?
There have been reports that Stevenson is seeking $15 million per fight, although the terms of any offer from DAZN or MVP are unknown. Muratalla is a dangerous, unbeaten opponent, but he doesn’t bring the profile of Haney. Matching Stevenson’s reported expectations to the revenue a mandatory defense could generate may be difficult.
If Stevenson expects a massive guaranteed purse, DAZN and MVP would have to decide how much they’re willing to risk if pay-per-view buys fall short. Fighter purses are only part of the cost of staging an event, and a guarantee would have to be paid regardless of how many fans purchase the fight.
Stevenson is well known to hardcore boxing fans, but he hasn’t established himself as a crossover attraction who can consistently draw large numbers of casual viewers willing to pay to watch him. A fight with Haney could reach a wider audience because both men would help sell it. Against Muratalla, Shakur’s backers would have to consider how much of the promotion he can carry himself.
That was part of the difficulty during his time with Zuffa. Stevenson wanted major fights, but none materialized before he left. DAZN and MVP may offer a different route, yet they would still need to find opponents and agree on purses that make financial sense.
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