Bob Arum has high—generationally high—hopes for Shakur Stevenson.
In a video segment recently published on the YouTube channel of Top Rank, Arum’s promotional company, the nonagenarian promoter is seen praising Stevenson, heralding him as potentially an even greater fighter than one Marvelous Marvin Hagler, the middleweight champion Arum once promoted.
The 25-year-old Stevenson, a former titlist at 126 and 130, is preparing to make his lightweight debut against Japan’s Shuichiro Yoshino on April 8 at Prudential Center in Stevenson’s hometown of Newark, New Jersey.
Pitched as a WBC eliminator, the winner of Stevenson-Yoshino will go on to face the winner of the undisputed lightweight title bout between champion Devin Haney and challenger Vasiliy Lomachenko that is reportedly set for May 20 on ESPN Pay-Per-View.
“I remember years ago, way before you were born, when I was promoting Marvin Hagler,” Arum told Stevenson. “Hagler fought a lot in New England and when became a real big star and started fighting in these big places in Las Vegas, thousands of people would come to New England to watch him fight. And so he was a big, big attraction and every casino wanted Hagler to fight there.
“As good as he was, and he was great, you’re gonna surpass him. I really believe that.”
While Hagler is mostly associated with Brockton, Massachusetts, where he came of age as a fighter, Stevenson pointed out that Hagler, like himself, was born in Newark.
Stevenson did not shy away from Arum’s praise, telling his promoter that he believes he is the “best fighter” on the Top Rank roster.
“I think it feels amazing and I want to tell you that I appreciate everything you do for Top Rank, for me as a fighter,” Stevenson told Arum. “I feel like I’m the best fighter on your roster and we’re gonna keep going all the way up. I’m just ready to show out in front of my hometown and show all my fans that Newark can do more than what we’ve been doing.”