Footage has emerged that shows the nasty and ugly brawl ultra-promising featherweight contender/star in the making Shakur Stevenson was involved in in Miami last summer. It was last July when the 21 year old Olympic silver medal winner was, along with friend and fellow boxer David Grayton, involved in the brawl that saw a man and a woman treated for injuries.
Last year Stevenson was charged with misdemeanor battery but now, according to reports, the state attorney is aiming to upgrade both Stevenson and Grayton’s charges to that of felonies. It’s a shocking piece of video footage to watch – obtained by Miami journalist Andy Slater – and it’s possible Stevenson will lose quite a few fans as a result of them having watched the disgraceful behavior he was involved in.
But losing fans could turn out to the the least of Stevenson’s troubles. It is not out of the realms of possibility that his very career could be affected, at least in part. According to reports out of the U.S, a trial is set to begin in June of this year. Meanwhile, Stevenson, who has romped to 10-0 as a pro and has looked extremely impressive in doing so, is training as usual (he put out a tweet yesterday in which he wrote how he had spared ten straight rounds).
The gifted southpaw is scheduled to face Christopher Diaz at Madison Square Garden on April 20th. This fight is still likely to go ahead, but it is what happens after Stevenson’s 11th pro bout that has people concerned. Stevenson looks to have everything needed to make it all the way to the top of his chosen sport; everything, that is, apart from the level-headedness and maturity it takes to become a great fighter.
Plenty of boxing web sites have ran with this leaked footage story; which is not something Stevenson and his team will like at all. It may take quite the PR rebuild to get people to forgive and forget this disgraceful incident that heavily involved a young man with the whole world at his feet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0l9P7HqXDqU