WBO Junior Welterweight Champion Shakur Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs) has shut the door on moving to 147, citing a size disadvantage against rivals Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney.
Both Ryan Garcia (the current WBC Welterweight Champion) and Devin Haney (WBO Welterweight Champion) have successfully transitioned to 147 lbs, while Shakur—who only recently moved to 140 lbs to defeat Teofimo Lopez in January—feels his frame has reached its ceiling. Shakur has offered a 144-pound catchweight for both men, arguing that others are not being asked to jump up in weight like himself. Shakur also mentioned Garcia’s prior comments about making the fight at 140 and Haney’s 144 catchweight to face Jose Ramirez last year. Since Shakur started his career at featherweight, a move up to welterweight is a step too far.
“I’m not a 147-pounder. I’m actually a lot smaller than them guys. Why am I the only fighter that y’all want to fight at 135, 140, and 147? Why not ask them to fight at 122, 126, and 130? Ryan said he’ll go to 144 and fight me, then he said 140, so I’m like, okay, I’m down with it. Devin fought at 144, so I’m like, we can meet in the middle. Since Conor Benn put a rehydration clause on Eubank, I’m like, I’m smaller, let’s go to 147 then,” Stevenson said