Shakur Stevenson is a lightweight. Yet, Terence Crawford despite being aware of the size difference between him and Stevenson, brought the talented two-division world champion into camp in preparation for Errol Spence Jr. It appears the sparring paid off - as Crawford stopped Spence in the ninth round of a pay-per-view main event thought to be competitive but turned out not to be.
Stevenson, often viewed by many as a future pound-for-pound number-one fighter in the world spoke highly of Crawford after the press conference on Saturday night, as it is clear Crawford isn't just a fellow fighter to Stevenson, but a mentor in some ways.
"[Crawford] is the best fighter in the world right now," said Stevenson to a select group of media inside the T-Mobile Arena. "I [would like] Bud to sit back and enjoy the fruits of his labor."
Stevenson, who has been a part of Crawford's camps for over half a decade was waiting for Crawford outside the ring in the MGM Grand Garden Arena when Crawford stopped Jeff Horn to win the WBO welterweight world title.
Crawford's crowning moment, a one-sided virtuoso performance against a great fighter, solidified Crawford as one of the greatest ever. Crawford was a slight favorite leading into the bout, but many still questioned Crawford's resume, which lacked the star power of Spence Jr., who had fought the bigger names of the two - and had the 'bigger events'.
"I am going to be [really heartbroken] and feel some type of way bout that," stated Stevenson to the media when asked about the subject.
Stevenson has valiantly tried to pursue a fight with Devin Haney for the undisputed lightweight world title even getting into the ring and approaching him after Haney picked a close decision win over Vasiliy Lomachenko. Haney has now opted to face the WBC junior welterweight world champion in his next bout.
Stevenson and his team are trying to get a unified vacant lightweight world title fight in which Stvenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko would fight for the WBC and WBO lightweight world titles. We will sit and wait to see the decision the WBC makes around that decision in the coming days.
