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Stevenson signs with Zuffa Boxing

BBC Sport •
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Four‑division champion Shakur Stevenson has joined Zuffa Boxing, according to promotion president Dana White. The 29‑year‑old entered the deal unbeaten at 25‑0 after defeating Teofimo Lopez in February to claim the WBO light‑welterweight title. Stevenson immediately named a potential showdown with fellow Zuffa signee Conor Benn, promising to “line them up, one by one, and I’ll beat all the top guys.”

Stevenson’s résumé includes world crowns at lightweight, featherweight and super‑featherweight, plus a 2016 Olympic bantamweight silver medal. White hailed the signing as “massive,” adding that Stevenson aims to become the sport’s top pound‑for‑pound fighter. Zuffa Boxing, funded by Saudi interests, is positioning itself against established promoters after luring Benn from Matchroom and adding cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia, though Opetaia was stripped of his IBF belt in the process.

The move could reshape the heavyweight‑lightweight landscape, giving Stevenson leverage to negotiate mega‑fights and potentially forcing legacy promoters to adjust their talent strategies. Zuffa’s bid to rewrite the Muhammad Ali Reform Act may also alter how boxing titles are sanctioned, affecting future championship pathways for all divisions.