WBC Lightweight champion, Shakur Stevenson has suffered another setback after parting ways with Bob Arum and Top Rank. Even though, Eddie Hearn and his Matchroom boxing have taken the 27-year-old under his wings, an untimely hand injury has forced him to opt out of his upcoming title defense against Joe Cordina. But that hasn’t stopped ‘Sugar’ from helping out his teammates in the gym!
Following his recent win over Germany’s Artem Harutyunyan, Stevenson was scheduled in the massive October 12 Riyadh Season Card that features the epic all-out Russian light heavyweight war. However, the southpaw has undergone surgery on his right hand and will not be available to compete again until 2025.
— Shakur Stevenson (@ShakurStevenson) September 13, 2024
In fact, major boxing outlets including the popular boxing page Boxing Kingdom have even updated the community about the youngster’s injury.
And to everyone’s pleasant surprise, fresh off the surgery, Shakur is back in the gym, helping out his teammates hone their skills, taking no time off!
Though he is still in the recovery phase, the champ isn’t letting his ill-fate get the best out of his training buddies and was seen in the gym with the braces still on, monitoring an apparent sparring session with the above-mentioned source dropping a new update.
Acknowledging the update, Shakur retweeted the post with a few simple emojis, implying that he is indeed on a path to quick recovery.
“Minor setback for a major comeback”
After a rather bitter fallout with Top Rank and veteran boxing promoter Bob Arum, Shakur Stevenson signed a two-fight deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom boxing. The scrapped Cordina fight was in fact, the first phase of a plan designed to push Stevenson’s career to the next level, a move intended to up his stocks to get him some major fights against the likes of Gervonta Davis & Devin Haney.
However, that was not meant to be, at least for now, at least for a few months. But that’s okay. Shakur understands that these things are part of the fight game. They have happened before, to others, to him even and they will continue to happen for as long as boxing exists. But he’s ready for whenever he’s medically cleared to box again.
Taking things to Instagram, the New Jersey native said:
“God works in mysterious ways. Thru the ups and downs I’m steady hungry and motivated more then ever. 2025 gone be my best year yet. Surgery went great it’s a minor set back for a major comeback.”
Though he was scheduled to fight his second bout of this year, Stevenson’s untimely injury prompted him to wait out and stay motivated. He also teased major news coming, hinting that 2025 is going to be his best year yet as he keyed in with a surgery update.
