It’s already on to the next one for Shakur Stevenson.
BoxingScene.com has confirmed that Frank Martin will no longer proceed with a planned WBC lightweight title fight versus Stevenson. An effort to finalize the planned November 16 ESPN main event in Las Vegas was instead met with the response from Martin’s team that they were no longer moving forward with those plans.
ESPN boxing insider Mike Coppinger was the first to report the development, which Top Rank officials confirmed to BoxingScene.com.
The news comes just four days after it was believed that the fight was set to grace the fall schedule. The two sides reportedly reached a deal in principle, hours before a scheduled purse bid hearing on Tuesday. Stevenson (20-0, 10KOs) was always on board with the fight as he aims to become a three-division titlist.
It was believed at the time that Martin (18-0, 12KOs)—who is promoted by Errol Spence’s Man Down Promotions—was just as eager for the fight. As previously reported by Boxing Scene’s Keith Idec, the two sides came to a financial agreement for the ordered vacant title fight. That changed in the past 24 hours, once Martin’s side was presented with a contract but instead opted to walk from what would have been his first title fight.
Newark’s Stevenson—who is promoted by Top Rank and co-managed by J. Prince and Josh Dubin—has already laid down the gauntlet for his next targeted opponent.
“Most ducked fighter in the sport of boxing,” Stevenson posted on his Instagram story Saturday afternoon. “Edwin get ready I’m tired of yo bitch ass saying my name.”
The fight to whom Stevenson referred is Edwin De Los Santos (16-1, 14KOs). The 23-year-old Dominican southpaw has been relentless in a year-long pursuit to land a fight with the 2016 Olympic Silver medalist and former two-division titlist.
“Remember that I am the danger, Shakur Stevenson,” De Los Santos vowed in his most recent callout earlier this month. “I can’t wait to get this guy in the ring.”
That moment may soon come. Boxing Scene has learned that initial steps were already taken to help advanced that fight.
Stevenson is the mandatory challenger to the WBC title that was made available when lineal and unified lightweight champion Devin Haney (30-0, 15KOs) opted to instead pursue WBC junior welterweight titlist Regis Prograis.
De Los Santos is currently ranked number-six by the WBC. He is promoted by Sampson Lewkowicz’s Sampson Boxing and largely fights under the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) umbrella, as does Martin. Under WBC rules, he would be eligible to fight for the vacant title as the next highest-ranked available contender.
Former three division titlist Vasiliy Lomachenko (17-3, 11KOs) is number-three, but already confirmed that he does not plan to fight for the rest of the year. Mexico City’s Isaac Cruz is number four but is more interested in a rematch with WBA ‘Regular’ titlist Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis (29-0, 27KOs). Number-five ranked William Zepeda (28-0, 24KOs) is already scheduled to face Mercito Gesta atop a September 16 DAZN event from Commerce, California.
De Los Santos outpointed Joseph Adorno over ten rounds in their July 8 Showtime-aired bout from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. The fight was his first since an off-the-canvas, third-round knockout of then-unbeaten Jose Valenzuela in their condensed shootout last September 4 in Los Angeles.
Stevenson previously held the WBO featherweight title and was the recognized lineal, WBC and WBO junior lightweight champion. He became the WBC lightweight mandatory challenger after a sixth-round knockout of unbeaten Shuichiro Yoshino in their April 8 title eliminator in his Newark hometown.
The fight came about after numerous contenders—including Cruz and Zepeda—turned down the chance to face Stevenson in that capacity.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox