Shakur Stevenson

Who is Shakur Stevenson?

Joe sits down with Shakur Stevenson, a professional boxer, four-time world champion, and Olympic medalist.

Topics and Timestamps

• 01Shakur Stevenson dominated Teofimo Lopez in their fight, showcasing elite boxing IQ, defense, and tactical brilliance that made a world champion look out of place
• 02Stevenson credits early training at age 5, God-given ability, intense discipline, and sparring with Terence Crawford as key factors in becoming boxing's most complete fighter
• 03He intentionally fought differently against William Zapata to earn respect from judges, but refuses to take unnecessary damage going forward to preserve his long-term health and faculties
• 04Stevenson views Terence Crawford as one of the greatest boxers ever and credits sparring with him since age 19 as instrumental in elevating his entire game
• 05He discussed how sparring with Lomachenko years earlier likely prevented a professional fight, as Lomachenko probably wouldn't want to face a bigger, stronger version of someone who already tested him
• 06Stevenson's main goal is to leave boxing financially secure and mentally intact, using fighters like Floyd Mayweather and Andre Ward as examples of how to exit the sport properly
• ▶Joe praises Shakur's dominant Teofimo Lopez performance and masterful trap-setting0:00:30
• ▶Shakur reveals he was only at 70 percent of his capability against Lopez0:08:45
• ▶Discussion of why Shakur fought William Zapata differently to earn judges' respect0:12:30
• ▶Shakur details his sparring with Terence Crawford since age 19 and its transformative impact0:25:00
• ▶Shakur explains how his sparring with Lomachenko likely prevented them from ever fighting professionally0:38:15

The Show

Joe sits down with Shakur Stevenson to break down his absolutely dominant performance against Teofimo Lopez, a fight that had Joe literally yelling at his TV because of how clinical and beautiful the striking was. This wasn't a slugfest, this was a masterclass in setting traps, avoiding damage, and making a world champion look completely outmatched. Stevenson explains that his approach comes from starting boxing at age 5, natural ability, and relentless discipline. He credits his grandfather as his coach and the energy his family brings to fight week as crucial elements that keep him dialed in.

One interesting thing Stevenson brings up is that his performance against Lopez was only about 70 percent of what he's actually capable of in the gym. He talks about having days in training where he does things that surprise even himself, which is the kind of mentality that separates all-time greats from just very good fighters. Joe digs into how Stevenson maintains that level of discipline year after year, something most fighters struggle with after achieving championship status. The conversation naturally shifts to Terence Crawford, who Stevenson has been sparring with since he was 19 years old. He calls Crawford one of the greatest boxers of all time and credits those sparring sessions as massively important to his development, saying Crawford brought his game to a completely different level just by being around him and picking up on little things.

They talk about how Stevenson sparred Lomachenko years back and how that might have actually prevented them from ever fighting professionally. Shakur felt like he was outboxing Lomachenko in those sessions but admitted the conditioning gap was real, especially over 12 rounds. The thing is, now that Shakur is bigger and stronger, Lomachenko probably wouldn't want any part of that fight knowing what Shakur can do. Joe and Shakur also discuss the importance of fighters like Andre Ward who knew when to walk away undefeated and with all their faculties intact, versus guys like Floyd who keep coming back because they need the money.

Stevenson's main goal is to make enough money that he never has to fight again if he doesn't want to. He doesn't want to be that guy who depends on boxing and has to take fights just to pay bills. The whole conversation is basically Shakur explaining why he's not just very good, but generationally talented, and how the combination of early training, natural ability, discipline, family support, and learning from fighters like Crawford and Ward has put him in a position to dominate his sport while actually protecting his brain and his future.

Best Quotes