Shakur Stevenson has announced a shock departure from Zuffa Boxing this week despite never actually stepping into the ring under Dana White’s newly launched promotional outfit, and Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has now revealed who he expects the four-division world champion to sign with next.
The surprising turn of events marks another major talking point in the ever-shifting landscape of professional boxing. Stevenson kicked off 2026 in style back in January when he dominated Teofimo Lopez in a lopsided unanimous decision win, securing the WBO super-lightweight world title in the process. However, that high-profile victory currently remains his lone outing of the entire calendar year, leaving fans and pundits eager to see when the elite technician will return to action.
In July, Stevenson confirmed to the boxing world that he had signed with Zuffa Boxing, a high-profile move that was expected to bring fresh momentum to his career under the corporate umbrella backed by combat sports mogul Dana White. Yet, four months on from that much-publicized move, the slick southpaw from Newark remained entirely without a scheduled bout, stalling the prime years of his athletic career. Frustrated by the inactivity, Stevenson requested an immediate release from his promotional contract—a request that was ultimately approved, freeing him from the deal before he ever made a walk to the ring for the company.
Following the surprising separation, Eddie Hearn weighed in on the broader implications of Zuffa Boxing’s early hurdles in the sport. While speaking to iFL TV, the veteran British promoter took the opportunity to applaud Stevenson’s rival, Devin Haney, for previously snubbing a move to work under White in favor of securing a lucrative broadcast and promotional contract with streaming platform DAZN. Hearn made it clear that he believes Stevenson is now poised to follow a very similar strategic pathway.
Reflecting on how the industry landscape could have looked for other elite fighters, Hearn didn’t hold back his assessment of non-boxing executives attempting to manage boxing careers. He pointed directly to Haney’s foresight as a benchmark for modern promotional independence and career preservation.
"Devin was going to sign with Zuffa. Devin Haney is sitting there right now, looking like an absolute genius because, if Devin Haney would have signed with Zuffa, the same thing would have happened," Hearn told iFL TV. "They don’t know what they are doing! Do not put your career and your legacy in the hands of non-boxing people that have no idea what they are doing."
Hearn continued to praise Haney’s decision-making process, emphasizing the instincts required for top-tier fighters to protect their professional trajectories in an unforgiving industry.
"Devin Haney is as smart as they come because something in his mind, something in his belly went, ‘This ain’t the move for me,’ and he went and done a deal with DAZN," Hearn added. "Now, Shakur Stevenson will probably do the same thing!"
Haney’s successful deal with DAZN was originally inked via Devin Haney Promotions, establishing a working model where elite fighters leverage their own promotional vehicles alongside major broadcasting networks. In alignment with this growing industry trend, Stevenson has already revealed that he has now founded his own company as well. This new independent corporate structure will allow the pound-for-pound-ranked star to self-promote moving forwards, giving him ultimate control over his matchmaking, purses, and career trajectory as he looks ahead to the remainder of 2026 and beyond.
