Bob Arum doubts Gervonta Davis wants to fight Shakur Stevenson
Veteran fight promoter Bob Arum isn’t sure that Gervonta Davis wants to fight lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson.
29-year-old Davis (29-0, 27KO) is a multi-weight champion and the current WBA lightweight belt holder who beat Ryan Garcia last time out in a big pay per view contest in April.
The Baltimore boxer, widely considered the face of boxing right now, is looking for his next fight and right now it looks like Brit Conor Benn is very much in the driving seat as promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed Matchroom have sent the “Tank” a firm contract.
Another possible opponent is the talented lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson, who recently announced on social media he was retiring as well as naming someone he thinks is the future of the sport.
Speaking to Fight Hub TV, the CEO of Top Rank, Bob Arum, has his doubts the fight will happen, not because of that announcement, but because of the finances.
“As far as Shakur is concerned, he wants to do that fight and it’s not [manager Al] Hayman [delaying it], it’s not anybody, Davis has to want to do that fight.”
He then stressed that the money for that fight would be different to Davis’s last outing.
“Remember, he came off a big payday with Garcia, and even though it’s a much more difficult fight, fighting Shakur doesn’t give him the same payday. Garcia inflates the numbers because of his social media presence. That’s not a knock, it’s a compliment he is able to bring that to the table but it has nothing to do with the fighter’s ability or inability.”
Should it happen, Davis versus Stevenson would represent a great unification fight between two of the best in their talented division.