“An Embarrassment in Your Own Town”: George Kambosos Jr. Claps Back at Shakur Stevenson’s Floyd Mayweather-Inspired Callout
Shakur Stevenson faced a tough crowd in his hometown of Newark as he defended his WBC lightweight title against Artem Harutyunyan at the Prudential Center. Despite his tactical prowess, the fans expected an explosive fight and began to leave during the championship rounds, disappointed by what they perceived as a lackluster performance. This reaction came on the heels of another criticized match against Edwin De Los Santos, adding pressure on Stevenson to deliver an electrifying show, which unfortunately didn’t materialize.
In his post-fight interview, Stevenson attributed the lack of excitement to Harutyunyan’s defensive strategy. “He was just trying to make sure he survived. I would’ve wanted him to try a little harder so it could be a more fun fight,” Stevenson remarked. Despite the criticism, some boxing aficionados have drawn comparisons between Stevenson’s defensive mastery and Floyd Mayweather’s style.
Hit Him Where It Hurts the Most!
The comparisons to Mayweather ignited a firestorm on social media. A boxing fan took to X (formerly Twitter) to challenge the notion, stating that Stevenson couldn’t be compared to Mayweather until he demonstrated a similar offensive mastery. The fan cited Mayweather’s 2013 clinic against Canelo Alvarez as the benchmark.
Stevenson’s response was swift: “Give me a Kambosos I got y’all.” This comment didn’t sit well with George Kambosos Jr., the former unified lightweight champion, who quickly fired back.
“Shut your mouth little squirt! An embarrassment in your own town, had people leaving, you can’t fck with my numbers kid, ever. Bob had to put toothpicks in the eyes to stay awake. Bruv all talk,” Kambosos tweeted, hitting Stevenson where it hurt the most.
“Shut your mouth little squirt! An embarrassment in your own town, had people leaving, you can’t fck with my numbers kid, ever. Bob had to put toothpicks in the eyes to stay awake. Bruv all talk. I got Ls to Dev & Loma but I bet you would too, to bad u won’t get em free agent 😂” — George “Ferocious” Kambosos Jr (@georgekambosos) July 14, 2024
“I got Ls to Dev & Loma but I bet you would too, to bad u won’t get em free agent,” he joked.
Kambosos also took a swipe at Stevenson’s free-agent status, hinting that without a promoter, Stevenson wouldn’t get the big fights against top-tier opponents like Devin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko.
Shakur Stevenson Needs a Good Dancing Partner!
Despite the verbal jabs, Stevenson remains a highly sought-after free agent. Oscar De La Hoya, the Golden Boy himself, has expressed strong interest in signing Stevenson, believing that with the right opponents, Stevenson could achieve Mayweather-like greatness.
“When I promoted Mayweather for fifteen fights, I had every single opponent for him. All the opponents that Golden Boy had, we fed him to Mayweather. And Mayweather became Mayweather. So, I think Shakur is in a similar situation. If we have the right opponent, we can build another Mayweather,” De La Hoya stated.
“When I promoted Mayweather for fifteen fights, I had every single opponent for him. All the opponents that Golden Boy had, we fed him to Mayweather. And Mayweather became Mayweather. So, I think Shakur is in a similar situation. If we have the right opponent, we can build another Mayweather,” De La Hoya said.
Stevenson, however, recently declined a lucrative five-fight, $15 million deal from Top Rank, citing dissatisfaction with Bob Arum’s promotion of his career. Arum’s rivals have accused him of under-promoting Stevenson, potentially harming his marketability and reputation.
The Future of Shakur Stevenson
The debate over Stevenson’s future continues to rage. While some believe he has the potential to reach Mayweather’s heights, others are skeptical, pointing to his recent performances and the crowd’s reaction in Newark. Stevenson’s next move will be crucial. Will he sign with Golden Boy and face top-tier opponents, or will he continue to chart his path as a free agent?
