Shakur Stevenson, the 29-year-old American boxer and undisputed four-division world champion, has officially joined Zuffa Boxing. The signing was confirmed by Zuffa Boxing president Dana White, marking a significant acquisition for the relatively new promotional organisation. Stevenson, who holds an impeccable professional record of 25 wins with no losses, last competed in February, where he defeated Teofimo Lopez to claim the WBO light-welterweight belt.
Following his recent victory, Stevenson publicly called for a fight against Britain's Conor Benn, a welterweight who also recently made a high-profile move to Zuffa Boxing from Eddie Hearn's Matchroom stable. Stevenson stated, "Line them up, one by one, and I'll beat all the top guys once I get them in front of me. With Zuffa Boxing, I'm going to go after the biggest fights in the sport and I will become the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world." This declaration suggests an aggressive strategy to secure marquee matchups under his new promoter.
Stevenson's impressive career includes world titles in the lightweight, featherweight, and super-featherweight divisions, in addition to his current light-welterweight title. He also secured a silver medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in the bantamweight category, highlighting his pedigree from an early stage. Dana White lauded the signing, stating, "Shakur is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. This is a massive signing for Zuffa Boxing, and I'm looking forward to promoting this next fight."
Zuffa Boxing, founded by White and supported by Saudi Arabian investment, is actively seeking to disrupt the traditional landscape of professional boxing promotion. Their strategy involves attracting top talent and, in some cases, has led to fighters being stripped of their existing titles upon signing, as seen with IBF cruiserweight world champion Jai Opetaia. It is currently unclear whether Stevenson's existing belts will be affected by his move.
The organisation also has ambitious plans to amend the Muhammad Ali Reform Act in the United States. This proposed change would allow Zuffa Boxing to implement a UFC-style business model within boxing, enabling them to operate simultaneously as both a promoter and a sanctioning body, and to crown their own world champions. Such a shift could fundamentally alter how professional boxing is organised and regulated, potentially creating a new dominant force in the sport.