ESPN has announced that plans for a fight for the vacant WBC lightweight title between Shakur Stevenson and Frank Martin is off. A deal was reached between the teams prior to a WBC purse bid, but Martin camp reportedly rejected the contract.
The title is vacant because former champ Devin Haney is moving up to challenge WBC super lightweight champion Regis Prograis, reportedly December 9 in San Francisco.
The WBC released its new ratings on Saturday and there was some reshuffling at lightweight. Stevenson will face the top available contender for the vacant belt.
1 Shakur Stevenson
2 Frank Martin
3 Vasyl Lomachenko
4 Isaac Cruz Jr.
5 William Zepeda
6 Edwin de los Santos
7 Jamaine Ortiz
8 Shuichiro Yoshino
9 Raymond Muratalla
10 George Kambosos Jr.
11 Maxi Hughes
12 Keyshawn Davis
13 Denys Berinchyk
14 Zaur Abdullaev
15 Artem Harutyunyan
My money says he fights zepeda next.
How crazy would it be if they all declined and we got Stevenson – Yoshino 2? This is too bad, I was really looking forward to seeing this fight. de los Santos has been talking quite a bit about how dangerous he would be for Stevenson, let’s see if he takes the fight.
De los Santos isn’t ready for the top yet. The calling out of Stevenson is just marketing. Same with Martin who is not ready for a Stevenson level fight. Shakur was about to have an easy outing and Martin came to his senses, LOL. Unfortunately I don’t see anyone stepping in at this time. Tank won’t sign and neither wlll Haney. Cruz is campaigning for a second fight with Davis. Garcia…who knows. Maybe Zepeda will want a crack at the title if he does well next week. Just keep Yoshino
DLS I would understand doing that and not taking the fight. He’s still pretty young and clearly he has some talent and you wouldn’t want to rush him into something like this but, fine, let him run his mouth a bit. Frank Martin on the other hand….. Unless they’ve lined up a big fight for him, and that literally HAS to mean with Tank or Pitbull, then I don’t know what’s going on there. He’ll be 29 in January and if you’re saying he’s not ready now, then you’re basically saying he never will be. If he gets Tank or Pitbull, fine, but if Frank Martin ends up fighting….. like Chris Colbert, that looks HORRIBLE imo.
If Zepeda has an easy time with Gesta (and I think that fight has a chance to be a war), then maybe he goes again this year; but if not, Stevenson is probably about to have a REALLY easy fight to become three weight champion.
The sensible fight is Stevenson-Lomachenko. There is still a lot of interest in who would win. The fighters are with Top Rank. It will have a decent number of viewers. Let’s get this one done.
Well I would agree, but Shakur is trying to fight this year and Bob Arum came out and said that Loma was out until next year because he was back in the Ukraine, helping with things there. Maybe they can fight next year, but THIS fight can’t be with Loma unless Stevenson is going to postpone it for… who knows how long. Not for nothing though, including Stevenson and Loma, I think TopRank has 6 of the WBC’s top fifteen fighters. So SOMEONE will take that fight.
Kambosos Jr?
Kambosos would be a waste of his time. Heck, I’d say at that point do one more at 130 and face Navarrete.
Kambo would take the payday…… but he will take a lopsided beating in the process.
Stevenson vs Lomo is too big for a 1 belt fight. Let them get a vacant belt each then they can unify
No doubt about it. Yes, I am saying that Martin should have been making noise by now with at least a title. I don’t see him cracking the top of the division. Something doesn’t seem right. Maybe an undisclosed injury and he needs more time to be ready?
Everyone else besides Zepeda, Pitbull and Davis would not be a good look at all for Martin, I agree. But going back to a possible injury, one tune-up before going for the gold I guess is ok.
The red tape with these promotion companies makes potential matchups a distant reality. We’ve got at least a year and a half of great matchups at lightweight, but we won’t be seeing them any time soon
Zepeda in 2! Martins all hype and stevens the man to beat.
How does Martin price himself out of a title fight?
Stevenson vs the big headed monster, pitbull cruz would be a nice fight if it ever happens!
Boring fight
Stevenson is way too fast, and his IQ is way too high. Cruz won’t go the distance.
Shskur won’t ko cruz it’s gona be more like I run and counter punche you and I won by unanimous decicion
lol did you see Cruz last fight. Stevenson would give him a one-sided beat down. Nobody who knows boxing wants to see Stevenson vs Cruz. We already know what the results would be. Cruz would be swinging wilding at the air and Stevenson would be picking him off with ease.
It’s not like Cruz will be swinging it’s gona be like shakur will run like chicken
The last fight Cruz opponents was not easy
With good size and good boxing he was not easy
Not to mention styles makes fights
Zepeda will likely be next up and I’d bet he’d take the fight.
Like Jared Anderson, Martin is a punk.
Even though it’s old vs young, I say he goes with loma. All others just don’t make sense to me. Maybe Cruz.
WELCOME BACK, NFL!!
Stevenson should hold off for now until a few other fights occur because the other fighters should put in more grunt work:
1) If Zepeda wins his upcoming fight (as he should), then Martin should fight Zepeda. I believe Martin is looking to fight Zepeda.
2) Although possible, I doubt if there is another Davis/Cruz fight. Cruz should look to fight De Los Santos. I am rather sure both fighters are more than happy to get in a scrap.
3) The winners of Zepeda/Martin and Cruz/De Los Santos should fight each other.
4) While fighters put in grunt work during numbers 1-3, Stevenson should work on 1 or 2 “stay busy fights.”
5) FINALLY, after winning 1 or 2 “stay busy fights,” Stevenson should fight the final winner of #3, unless Davis and/or Haney dare to fight Stevenson.
During scraps numbered 1-3, the fans will roar, the suspense will set off like fireworks and the money will flow like the Rio Grande. Regarding #5, the final showdown in a fight against Stevenson will cause a KABOOM, from the finalized contract to the end of the fight.
Last, based on his pressure, daring spirit, timing, style and power, De Los Santos is the most difficult challenge for Stevenson (a major challenge). If his mental tools and boxing tools are present, Martin can also present big problems for Stevenson.
This title fight is all about giving Stevenson glory. He could either fight for the WBC or WBO belts, the contender he fights for either doesn’t matter. ToP Rank isn’t about getting him beat. Haney vs Stevenson wouldn’t happen until Stevenson holds a couple of 135 lbs belts and Haney holds a couple of 140 lbs belts, then Stevenson steps up. I don’t know about Tank. He always has domestic abuse issues. He is with other promoters that don’t work with Top Rank (rarely if ever) in making a mega fight. Tank vs Shakur would never be as big as the build up of Crawford vs Spence.
As for Stevenson and his little vacant WBC title fight, who cares who he is going to fight to win it? One thing is for sure, it won’t be Lomachenko. Lomachenko will get a vacant WBO title fight if Stevenson gets a vacant WBC title fight.
New way of saying..I’m really scared of the other guy.
I think this fight has come Martin’s way a bit too quickly in terms of his plans. He needs a couple of tough fights with contenders in order to prepare him properly for Stevenson. At the same time, a fighter may need to take the big opportunity when it comes and surely a Stevenson fight will pay well and be a great test.
Forget about Martin lets see Stevenson vs Lomachenko.
I bet greed played a part in this.
crap. Shakkur beat one c fighter (Valdez) who was just thrashed by ..Navarro yuck…so he sucks. Shakkur did not even hurt valdez. total bullshit sham ratings…
Not shocking
There is no doubt anyone is willing to go near Shakur Stevenson. He’s the new Boogie Man now that his close friend, sparring partner, & former Boogie Man “Bud Crawford” soundly beat another
top 10 fighter in Errol Spence. I understand that it’s business, but it’s exactly what’s wrong with boxing.