Shakur Stevenson’s chances of beating Gervonta Davis have been brutally played down.
Stevenson was able to stop late replacement and part-time electrician Josh Padley in a hard-fought win in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in his most recent fight.
The American continues to eye a mega-fight with boxing superstar Davis, who is in action this coming weekend in a showdown with Lamont Roach in Brooklyn.
Davis has refused to commit to a showdown with Stevenson so far, and has even suggested he could retire from the sport in 2025.
Despite the doubts over the fight materialising, the pair continue to get thrust together given their unique clash of styles.
And in the latest episode of talkBOXING assessing Stevenson’s latest performance, Spencer Oliver suggested Davis would simply be levels above Stevenson if the pair meet.
He said: “Stevenson has that safety first approach, the one that works for a boxing purist.
“But the one he hasn’t got is that punching power. He has got that Mayweather kind of safety-first style.
“But we live in the entertainment world today. And in terms of superstar status, Gervonta Davis takes him out.
“We love watching what he does, but Gervonta Davis would ice him. It is all about levels.
“From what I saw there of Stevenson against Davis, yeah for me I think Davis wins.”
Pundit Adam Catterall also weighed in on the debate, adding: “He is a beautiful technician and a beautiful boxer.
“But are people buying a ticket? Someone like a Terence Crawford would have taken Josh Padley out, he’s a savage.
“He’s almost skipped to the last stages of Floyd Mayweather before all the ‘Pretty Boy’ era where he knocked guys out at the start.”
Stevenson has regularly pleaded for the fight, but official talks have yet to materialise.
He has insisted he would only fight twice a year, which could see him take on ‘Tank’ later in the year.
The event could be a commercial blockbuster clash particularly in US shores, and a potential breakout moment for Stevenson.
It could be Davis’ biggest outing since flooring and beating Ryan Garcia in 2023.
Stevenson gave his verdict on the potential clash, insisting he has the perfect fighting style, an illusive mover and boxer, to hand Davis his first career defeat.
He said: “Yeah, it’s the two best fighters in boxing. Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis is a hell of a fighter, I keep telling ya’ll he got great skills.
“But I’m better than him. I’m better than him at hit and don’t get hit and he can’t beat me.
“Once again, Tank’s style is a power puncher. He’s a guy that’s trying to knock you out. I
“’m a guy that’s trying to break you down, pick you apart, win, if the knockout comes, it comes.
“Turki got all the money so put the biggest fight on. Let’s negotiate.
“I think both of us can make a lot of money and I’m ready to make it happen.”
