Eddie Hearn’s Vision for Shakur Stevenson’s Future with Matchroom: A Strategic Look

Hearn’s Candid Thoughts on Boxing Dynamics

Eddie Hearn, a well-known promoter with Matchroom, recently delved into the intricacies of the boxing world during a media session. He discussed his strategies for potential future matchups and his vision for integrating talents like Shakur Stevenson into his promotion as Stevenson approaches free agency.

Stevenson’s Free Agency and Matchroom’s Opportunity

Shakur Stevenson’s journey into free agency has caught significant attention, not least from Eddie Hearn himself, who expressed a keen interest in potentially signing the talented fighter. Hearn remarked, “He’s coming on Saturday. I’ve done a much better job than Top Rank in promoting him over the past 12 months, I don’t even have a contract with him. Because I answer questions from you guys and I say the same thing all the time: I think he’s a pound-for-pound great fighter. I think he’s one of the best fighters in the sport.” This clear endorsement showcases Hearn’s commitment to leveraging his promotional skills to elevate Stevenson’s career further.

Envisioning Potential Matchups for Stevenson

Looking ahead, Hearn outlined a trio of fights that could define Stevenson’s trajectory under the Matchroom banner. “William Zepeda, maybe a move to 140 to fight a Liam Paro or another champion at 140, and then look to other companies to do a co-promotional deal and a co-platform deal,” he suggested. This strategic approach indicates Hearn’s willingness to explore collaborative opportunities to maximize Stevenson’s exposure and success.

Hearn also considered the fluidity required in Stevenson’s career to engage in the most compelling and lucrative fights. He said, “I think Shakur is probably thinking to himself ‘I have to fight Tank, I have to fight Zepeda, I have to fight Lopez, I have to fight all these guys’ and maybe our discussions are a one-fight or a two-fight or a three-fight, I don’t know. But I think he needs that fluidity to be able to move and make those fights because that’s when you’re going to see the best of him.”

Crawford and Boots: A Potential Showdown in the Making

The conversation also touched upon Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and his pathway to a potential blockbuster bout against Terence Crawford. Hearn emphasized the importance of performance and momentum in boxing. “Just perform. Just promotion-wise, that’s done, we take care of that. But performance. If he goes in on Saturday, doesn’t perform, squeaks out a victory, not a big problem but big disappointment. If he goes in, looks sensational, knocks Avanesyan inside four rounds, the place goes nuts — it’s about momentum,” Hearn explained.

Hearn sees Crawford vs. Boots as one of boxing’s purest potential matchups. “So for me, I think one of the best fights in boxing, one of the purest fights in boxing is Crawford against Boots. But we want to take care of business at 147. I feel like we need to unify, we need those tough tests and having done a huge gate here for Saturday I know we can fill the whole place up against the likes of Barrios, against the likes of Stanionis, and that’s what we’ve got to do before we move to 154,” he stated.

Pacquiao’s Continued Relevance in Boxing

On the topic of Manny Pacquiao and his possible return to the ring, Hearn provided a nuanced view. He acknowledged Pacquiao’s diminished capabilities due to age and inactivity but still saw value in his participation in select fights. Hearn posed the question, “So I guess there’s two questions. One is should he be fighting again? And at the end of the day if he’s good enough to beat everybody outside of the top 20 in the world then why not. But should he be fighting for the world title? I guess that’s another question. In the commercial world of boxing the answer is yeah, probably. In the ratings world and activity world, the answer is probably not.”

Stevenson vs. Tank: A High-Stakes Conjecture

Looking towards a potential matchup between Stevenson and Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, Hearn analyzed the fighters’ contrasting styles and strengths. “See the thing is with Tank, who I think is a brilliant fighter, so exciting, very heavy handed — he loses a lot of rounds. He lost rounds against Frank Martin, he lost rounds against Ryan Garcia, he lost rounds against Pitbull Cruz, and these are all guys that aren’t on the same level as Lomachenko and Shakur Stevenson. So he has to put a dent in these people, otherwise he’ll get beat. But he does put a dent in them because he punches really hard and Tank’s not just a puncher, he’s got a good boxing IQ as well. I just don’t think the IQ is as good as Lomachenko or as good as Shakur Stevenson. But can he put a dent in them? Because I promise you this, if he don’t stop these people he will be behind at nearly every junction in those fights, Lomachenko included. I think he stops Lomachenko, but he’ll be behind.”

In closing, Hearn’s strategic insights and candid assessments reveal a promoter deeply engaged in shaping the future of boxing, particularly through potential new signings like Shakur Stevenson and pivotal matchups for existing talents like Jaron Ennis.