The Cost of Boxing Politics: Shakur Stevenson Breaks Silence on WBC Strip

The intricate financial politics of professional boxing took center stage yesterday as undefeated champion Shakur Stevenson publicly addressed the World Boxing Council's (WBC) decision to strip him of his lightweight championship belt. Speaking openly about the sanctioning body's recent ruling, the highly decorated fighter criticized the organization's business practices, detailing what he described as an unfair financial shakedown.

According to Stevenson, the dispute escalated during negotiations for a high-profile matchup against Teofimo Lopez. Stevenson explained that the WBC demanded he pay triple his normal sanctioning fees for the bout, despite the contest not being for a WBC championship title. The communication between his promotional camp and the sanctioning body slowed down while Stevenson was deep in training camp. The WBC used this delay to officially strip him of his title, a move the champion openly labeled as an attempted "robbery."

Beyond the steep financial demands, Stevenson expressed serious suspicions that the WBC's harsh penalty was fueled by personal grudges rather than rules. The fighter stated that the organization is taking out its past frustrations with his close friend and training partner, Terence "Bud" Crawford, on him. Stevenson sent a direct message to WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, making it clear that he will not tolerate being targeted over someone else's historical conflicts with the sanctioning body.

With the WBC dispute behind him, Stevenson is keeping his focus entirely on the future. His camp is currently involved in heavy negotiations for a potential mega-fight against Devin Haney. Haney's father and manager, Bill Haney, has publicly confirmed that securing a contract to face Stevenson remains their primary target for a major winter event.