Fans Push Puello, Russell, but Stevenson Looks Elsewhere

Fans and the actual fighters rarely see eye to eye on what comes next. Right now, a major divide exists between what the public wants for Shakur Stevenson and where he seems to be heading.

If you look at the chatter on X, everyone is calling for Alberto Puello or Gary Antuanne Russell. It sounds logical. They have the belts and the rankings to justify a run at 140 pounds.

That perspective relies on order, but boxing at the elite level relies on leverage. Puello and Russell are talented and defensively sharp, making them credible tests in a vacuum. For a fan, beating them is just another box to check. However, for a superstar, these matchups look less like progress and more like unnecessary risks.

After his dominant win over Teofimo Lopez, Stevenson didn’t sound like a man looking to settle into a division. He sounded like a fighter with the world at his feet. That performance didn’t just solidify his spot; it blew the doors off his options. When you reach that status, fighters like Puello or Russell start to feel like distractions.

The reality is that beating them doesn’t actually change Stevenson’s reputation. He’s expected to win. On the flip side, an upset would be a massive blow to his stock. Fans love belts, but in the business of boxing, a title is only worth the momentum it generates. Right now, those names don’t generate much heat.

This explains why the focus has shifted to massive commercial names. A clash with Conor Benn offers money and fan interest. A fight with Devin Haney brings a built in history that fans are already invested in. These opportunities put Stevenson in a different tax bracket and a different level of fame. It moves him into a brand new room instead of just rearranging the furniture in his current one.

Puello and Russell are great fighters, but they aren’t the priority. Stevenson isn’t looking at a rankings sheet to decide his future. He’s looking for the fight that takes him to the next level of stardom, and that path is leading him away from the most obvious junior welterweight contenders.