O’Shaquie Foster thinks he knows why Shakur Stevenson has not signed.
Stevenson beat Teofimo Lopez in January to become a four-division world champion, taking the WBO and Ring junior welterweight titles on all three cards at Madison Square Garden. He has not fought since, and he has no opponent for his Zuffa Boxing debut.
Foster was told he could have the fight if he got past Raymond Ford. He did, by majority decision in May, and the two faced off afterward. Then it went quiet.
He don’t want to fight, we didn’t hear nothing, man. He don’t want me to end that gravy train that they got going on, he is going to take his chances somewhere else.
His theory is about information.
For real though, Shakur saw me for a long time. Before me and him even started sparring, when we were staying together in Virginia, he saw me work. So, he know what I can do, he knows what I am capable of.
Then on top of the sparring, Shakur has sparred everybody that he fought and everybody that he wants to fight, he got a beat on them. He couldn’t ever get a beat on me, so that is what I feel like it is, it makes him nervous.
Foster offered to move up to 140lbs himself to make it happen. He also said he would take the next real opportunity rather than wait around, which is how the fight he does have came together.
He defends the WBC super featherweight title against Emanuel Navarrete on October 24 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. Navarrete holds the WBO and IBF belts and the vacant Ring Magazine title is also at stake.
Stevenson stays on the list after that.
He came talking about, I need to get past Navarrete, he keep throwing everybody else’s name out there. When I handle him [Navarrete] though, you come see me next.
The last piece of the division is settled on December 19, when Anthony Cacace defends the WBA belt against Nick Ball. Stevenson has been linked with Raymond Muratalla, who vacated his lightweight title amid talk of moving up to 140.
