Terence Crawford walked away from boxing unbeaten and undisputed across three divisions. He thinks he knows exactly who’s built to do it next.
Fresh off capping his career with a legacy-defining decision over Canelo Alvarez, “Bud” was asked who could follow his blueprint and retire as an unbeaten great. His answer was emphatic: four-division world champion Shakur Stevenson.
I think Shakur [will take over], for sure, Shakur hands down. I think, given the opportunity, he’s going to show the world that he’s the best. His mental, his defense [sets him apart], takes his craft serious. He’s the type of the fighter that you gotta pull out the gym.
Asked directly whether Stevenson can be beaten, Crawford didn’t hedge.
Not at all. Everybody [is] beatable, but I don’t see nobody beating him.
The praise isn’t unearned. Stevenson, 29, produced a career-best performance in January, dropping just one round as he dethroned Teofimo Lopez by masterful unanimous decision. He’s since signed with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing, leaving his next move up in the air. He still holds the WBO super-lightweight title, but has named Devin Haney and Gervonta Davis as the kind of marquee opponents who would cement his standing.
