Shakur Stevenson was angry last Saturday night seeing all the talk of WBO super featherweight champion Jamel Herring of potentially facing WBC champ Oscar Valdez next after his win over Carl Frampton.
Shakur was doing a little whining on social media, reacting to him being ignored by Herring and Valdez.
While Stevenson wants to be relevant and part of the discussion for a fight against Herring or Valdez, he lacks the prerequisite experience to get fights against either of those guys.
Moreover, Shakur’s somewhat dull safety-first fighting style lacks the drama needed for him to be an interesting choice for Herring or Valdez’s next fight.
Shakur hasn’t done enough to get big fight
From Herring and perhaps even ESPN and Top Rank’s perspective, it’s more compelling for them to make a fight against WBO super featherweight champion Oscar Valdez than the young upstart Shakur Stevenson.
The 2016 Olympian Shakur hasn’t been around as long as the unbeaten Valdez (29-0, 23 KOs), who is coming off a big win over former WBC 130-lb champion Miguel Berchelt last February
Shakur hasn’t beaten anyone of note during his short four-year professional career that would put him above Oscar Valdez in a position to fight Herring.
The unbeaten Stevenson (15-0, 8 KOs) is ranked #1 with the World Boxing Organization at 130, and he’s mandatory for Herring’s title.
Going into last Saturday’s Herring vs. Frampton fight, Shakur was supposed to be the next in line to face the winner.
To Stevenson’s great surprise, immediately after Herring’s sixth-round knockout victory over Frampton (28-3, 16 KOs) at the Ceasars Palace in Dubai, UAE, he called out Oscar Valdez for a fight. There was no mention at all of Shakur’s name, and it was as if he didn’t exist.
Valdez wants Herring
Oscar Valdez’s management at Espinoza Boxing Tweeted moments after the Herring-Frampton fight the idea of putting together a unification between Herring and Valdez.
“Congratulations to Jamel Herring. Today was your day, enjoy it champ. How about you vs. the champ Oscar Valdez?” said Espinoza Boxing on Twitter.
Shakur’s reaction: “I smell p****!”
It looks like Shakur is taking it personally that Valdez’s management is looking to set up a fight with WBO champion Herring.
It makes perfectly good business sense for Valdez’s handlers to want to put together a huge fight with Herring (23-2, 11 KOs) right now, as he’s the hot hand, the guy in the spotlight after his victory over Frampton.
In contrast, the 23-year-old Stevenson, who is coming off a victory over Toka Kahn Clary last December, has nothing to offer right now.
Not only is Shakur’s resume barren of names, but he’s not popular and he doesn’t have an exciting style of fighting.
Jamel Herring calls out Oscar Valdez next
“As I already said, I want to get another title, of course,” said Herring after his win over Frampton. “I know Oscar Valdez has expressed interest in unifying and fighting.
“If that fight [against Valdez] is available and they want that fight, let’s make it happen,” said Herring.
It’s the perfect time for Herring to face Valdez, as it’s a fight that will attract a lot of interest from fans.
If Herring can beat Oscar, the next move would be for him to go up to 135 to take on IBF/WBA/WBC/WBO lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez for all four titles.
Shakur reacts to Herring’s win over Frampton
“Over my dead body,” said Stevenson when a poster suggested that Herring will probably face Oscar Valdez next.
“What’s the next move, though, champ?” said Shakur to Herring. “I need that belt for [Oscar] Valdez to have a reason to fight me.
WBO president says Herring must face Stevenson next
“Outstanding performance by our U.S. Marine, @JamelHerring. Congratulations to our 130 lbs World Champion! Now he must face the winner of the Shakur Stevenson-Jeremiah Nakathila bout scheduled for June 12,” said WBO president Paco Valcárcel, Esq.@PacoValcarcel
It’s difficult to imagine the WBO standing in the way of the Herring vs. Valdez fight, given all the interest from boxing fans in that fight.
“I’m confused. Where is my name?” said Stevenson at seeing his name missing from ESPN’s top 10 rankings for the 130-lb division.
🤔? @trboxing @espn pic.twitter.com/lXfbq3Kd6X
— Shakur Stevenson (@ShakurStevenson) April 3, 2021