Shakur Stevenson Verbal Agrees to Fight Devin Haney in Zuffa Boxing Debut

Shakur Stevenson has verbally agreed to fight Devin Haney in his Zuffa Boxing debut, with the fight expected to take place in October at a 144-pound catchweight.

What happened?

Shakur Stevenson, the reigning WBO 140-pound champion, has verbally agreed to fight Devin Haney in his Zuffa Boxing debut. Stevenson made the announcement on Uncrowned's "The Ariel Helwani Show" on Wednesday, stating that Zuffa Boxing is working to match him with Haney in his promotional debut.

Why it matters for Shakur Stevenson

The fight with Haney has been discussed at a 144-pound catchweight, and it may have to come without a title on the line, as Haney has been ordered to defend his welterweight championship next against the mandatory challenger Keyshawn Davis. Stevenson's side of the deal may be done, but he is unclear on whether Haney has agreed to the fight.

What comes next?

Stevenson's move to Zuffa Boxing initially raised questions over what opponents would be available for the No. 4 pound-for-pound boxer. However, Stevenson believes that because Saudi Arabia's Turki Alalshikh is financing Zuffa Boxing, any fight is available to him, as Alalshikh has a history of working with all promoters. Stevenson expects to compete on both Alalshikh's Ring Magazine shows and the Zuffa Boxing events on Paramount+.

Stevenson also confirmed that he will not be subject to the same branded uniform that other fighters on the series have worn. He stated that he is looking forward to his Zuffa Boxing debut and is excited to see what the future holds.

Shakur Stevenson's Zuffa Boxing deal

Stevenson's signing with Zuffa Boxing was announced this past week, and he has been working with the promotion to finalize the details of his deal. Stevenson stated that he has verbally agreed to fight Haney in his Zuffa Boxing debut, but he is unclear on whether Haney has agreed to the fight.

Shakur Stevenson's past offers

Stevenson revealed that he had also been offered a big deal by DAZN, but they came too late in the process. Stevenson stated that DAZN's proposal was "very similar" to Zuffa Boxing's offer, and he would have been aligned directly with the broadcaster rather than a promotional company.

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