'You're Cooked' Shakur Stevenson Agrees to Fight UK Star This Year in London
Shakur Stevenson is hot right now. Just this past Saturday, Shakur silenced the boxing world and put on yet another masterclass against formerly undefeated KO artist William Zepeda. Fans of the sweet science were calling him boring and saying he ran from opponents in the ring—but in this one, he showed off his usual generational defense while also putting together one of the most impressive offensive performances of his career.
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At times, Shakur looked like vintage Floyd "Money" Mayweather—leaning on the ropes, firing off counters, and staying sharp under pressure. After the win, he was full of energy, and two days later, he hopped on The Ariel Helwani Show, which honestly had just as much fire as his co-main event this month.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 16: Shakur Stevenson stands in the ring fighting 12 rounds against Edwin De Los Santos in a fight for a vacant WBC lightweight title on November 16, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Stevenson won the vacant title by unanimous decision. (Photo by)Shakur Stevenson
The three division champion was a guest on Ariel's show along with Conor Benn, and who knew they would make such an entertaining duo. Shakur took his seat after Benn, and after the two shook hands, the show was immediately on road.
After a little fun and some heated banter, the two fighters started talking seriously about a potential matchup at 147 pounds. Conor Benn said, 'I'm not a 160 fighter, I'm not a 154 fighter, I'm a 147 fighter. I'm currently right now about 157. I'll go in at 147, we can honestly do that next.' Stevenson didn't hesitate and replied, 'I'm down.'
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Ariel Helwani jumped in and brought up how Shakur had already said he'd be fine fighting Conor in London. Shakur confirmed it again and said, 'It would be bigger.' Benn floated a possible date in November 2025, especially with the Eubank Jr. fight possibly falling through.
This fight would be huge for boxing. A win here helps both guys. Shakur would be jumping two weight classes to beat a dangerous UK name with serious buzz. And if they're both really serious, we're in for a crazy build-up—we already got a preview of that on Ariel's show. Two young stars from different corners of the world? The energy would be off the charts.
Related: Shakur Stevenson Shares Strict Route for Jake Paul to Become World Champion
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
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28 minutes ago
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Boxing pound-for-pound rankings (July 2025): Katie Taylor dethrones Claressa Shields as No. 1 women's boxer
Katie Taylor made it 3-0 in her historic rivalry with Amanda Serrano earlier this month at a sold-out Madison Square Garden. Taylor and Serrano, two of Uncrowned's top pound-for-pound boxers, had two controversial Fight of the Year contenders in 2022 and 2024. But when they met for the third time on July 11, Ireland's Taylor outboxed the Puerto Rican for a more convincing victory to take a clean sweep in their much-hyped trilogy of fights. By doing so, Taylor convinced Uncrowned's panel of experts — Kel Dansby, Alan Dawson, Darshan Desai, Jake Donovan, Lewis Watson and Elliot Worsell — that she was worthy of dethroning Claressa Shields for the No. 1 spot in the Women's pound-for-pound rankings. But that isn't the only change to our list. The last month and a half of boxing has seen 8 fighters in Uncrowned's previous rankings compete with mixed results. So we thought this was the perfect time for our updated pound-for-pound list. Uncrowned's voters have ranked the men's and women's pound-for-pound best, one through 10, using a weighted points system to determine the final rankings. (Being voted No. 1 equals 10 points, No. 2 equals nine points, down to No. 10 equaling one point.) Without further ado, here are our rankings for July! MEN'S POUND-FOR-POUND 1. Oleksandr Usyk — Unified heavyweight champion (Prev: 1) Oleksandr Usyk brutally knocked out Daniel Dubois to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion at Wembley Stadium this past Saturday — and reassert his position as pound-for-pound the best fighter in boxing. A road warrior, Usyk has boxed in title fights in seven different countries, mostly against fighters from those regions. He won the World Boxing Super Series at cruiserweight by clearing out the best fighters in that division, and rivals Evander Holyfield as the best 200-pound fighter the world has ever seen. After becoming undisputed champion at cruiserweight, he then moved up to heavyweight and wasted no time defeating Anthony Joshua (twice) and Tyson Fury (twice), despite surrendering a considerable size advantage to the modern day giants. In that sense, he epitomizes what the concept of pound-for-pound is all about. Now, Usyk, 38, might have just one fight left in boxing. Whether it's Joseph Parker, Moses Itauma, or even Fury for a third time, rest assured that Usyk will produce something special on the night. 2. Naoya Inoue — Undisputed super bantamweight champion (Prev: 2) Like Usyk, Naoya Inoue is a two-division undisputed world champion. The Japanese fighter has held world championships across four weight classes and is building a hulking résumé, with signature wins over Nonito Donaire (twice), Stephen Fulton, and Luis Nery. Inoue was last in action this past May, where he exchanged knockdowns with Ramon Cardenas before stopping the game Mexican fighter in the eighth round of an instant classic at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Inoue will fight Matchroom's Murodjon Akhmadaliev in September, before a potential all-Japanese superfight with Junto Nakatani next spring. 3. Terence Crawford — WBA super welterweight champion (Prev: 3) Terence Crawford is your favorite fighter's favorite fighter. Even Usyk recognizes Crawford as the pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter in the world, over himself. "Bud" managed to clean out super lightweight without too much adversity, then dove into 147 pounds as a feared fighter. When Crawford finally landed his long-awaited superfight with Errol Spence Jr., he showed exactly why he was avoided for so long. A fight initially thought to be an even match on paper became a total mismatch in reality, as Crawford pummeled Spence for a ninth-round TKO win. It was a brutally one-sided demolition job. More recently, the Omaha native edged Israil Madrimov to become a four-division champion. He now heads toward a legacy bout with Saul "Canelo" Alvarez for the undisputed super middleweight world championship in September at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. 4. Dmitry Bivol — Undisputed light heavyweight champion (Prev: 4) Bivol held the WBA light heavyweight crown for seven years until falling short to Beterbiev in their undisputed title fight this past October. During his reign, Bivol made 12 successful defenses, which included an upset win over "Canelo" in 2022. Bivol managed to avenge his defeat to Beterbiev earlier this year and ascend as only the 11th man to become undisputed champion of the four-belt era. Bivol and Beterbiev are likely to run it back later in 2025 or early 2026. Outside of that, there are numerous other significant fights available for Bivol, including David Benavidez, a rematch with Alvarez, or the consensus No. 1 cruiserweight Jai Opetaia. Regardless, out of every fighter on this list, it is Bivol who has two of the most significant and meaningful wins, considering his victories over both "Canelo" and Beterbiev. His ticket to the Hall of Fame in Canastota has already been punched. 5. Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez — WBC & WBO flyweight champion (Prev: 5) Rodriguez stepped in to face Carlos Cuadras on five days' notice for his first world title in 2022. It was a two-division jump for "Bam," but his trainer, Robert Garcia, had no doubt he was up to the test. Rodriguez impressed to capture the WBC super flyweight crown and has never looked back. The 24-year-old has taken out three of the four kings at super flyweight and now chases undisputed status at 115 pounds. "Bam" is not just a fight fan's favorite anymore. He's now a star of the sport. He stopped Phumelela Cafu in a unification fight in front of 10,000 people at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, this past Saturday, and will look to add another belt to his name when he faces WBA titleist Fernando "Puma" Martinez on Nov. 22. Rodriguez even signed to fight Naktani — another man on this list — but Akihiko Honda, who co-promotes both fighters, vetoed the fight. 6. Artur Beterbiev — Former undisputed light heavyweight champion (Prev: 6) After edging a controversial decision over Bivol in October to become the undisputed light heavyweight champion, Beterbiev fell short in the rematch earlier in the year. Now the pair looks headed toward a trilogy — arguably the most significant three-fight series since Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury. Beterbiev, 40, picked up boxing's 175-pound titles one by one prior to his first career loss and could move up to cruiserweight to become a two-division champion after the Bivol trilogy. A fight between Beterbiev and Opetaia would be a sensational matchup some time in the next 12 months, and there's a chance that it could be for all four cruiserweight belts — meaning a win would see Beterbiev join the top three names on this list as two-division undisputed champions. 7. Junto Nakatani — WBC & IBF bantamweight champion (Prev: 8) Nakatani is perhaps in the position Inoue was among the wider boxing community before Inoue's win over Fulton. As an undefeated three-division champion, but one based in the lower weights and away from the Western community, Nakatani is still building a fan base in the U.S. Nakatani knocked out David Cuellar in Tokyo on Feb. 24 to make the third defense of his WBC bantamweight title. He then added the IBF championship to his WBC crown with a 6th-round TKO win over Ryosuke Nishida in June. Nakatani could land his big breakout fight against Inoue in the spring of 2026. It has all the makings to be the Japanese equivalent of Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns. 8. Saul "Canelo" Alvarez — Undisputed super middleweight champion (Prev: 7) Alvarez has been the sport's biggest commercial star for almost a decade. The Mexican champion faced the best opponents boxing had to offer across many divisions until his May 2022 defeat to Bivol. But since then, Alvarez has seemingly become more reluctant to take on some of the bigger challenges available to him, and is arguably showing his age by throwing fewer punches. This past May in Saudi Arabia, "Canelo" made his Riyadh Season debut against William Scull, looking listless throughout the show but still securing a decision win. He has not knocked out anybody since 2021, and will now put his undisputed status at 168 pounds on the line against Crawford this September in Las Vegas at the home of the NFL's Raiders. Had that fight taken place last year, few would have picked against "Canelo." But questions are now being asked about whether Alvarez is finally showing his age in boxing years. It may well become a more competitive fight than what it once was. 9T. Shakur Stevenson — WBC lightweight champion (Prev: 10T) Shakur Stevenson produced the most exciting performance of his career when he outclassed William Zepeda earlier this month in New York. Not only was it compelling television, it also showcased the different facets of Stevenson's game. The three-division world champion isn't just a mover, but he can hold his feet and land the harder punches. For many years, fight fans have been calling for Stevenson to entertain them and show that there is more to his game than simply dominating dull, low-output contests against overmatched, befuddled opposition. He has now done that, but he is still crying out for a big name to share the ring with him. With Gervonta "Tank" Davis' latest issues outside the ring, Vasiliy Lomachenko recently retiring, and Keyshawn Davis set to move up to super lightweight, Stevenson might have to jump two divisions to welterweight and face Conor Benn for that big fight. 9T. David Benavidez — WBC light heavyweight champion (Prev: 9) A two-weight world champion, David Benavidez is proving to be a BMF for boxing as he seeks out the toughest fights and over-delivers with a relentless and grueling fighting style. With wins over Caleb Plant, Demetrius Andrade, Oleksandr Gvozdyk and David Morrell, Benavidez has continually delivered in elite fights. He has struggled to get Alvarez and Bivol to step into the ring with him, and so will return to face another top contender, Anthony Yarde, on Nov. 22 before setting his sights on the Bivol vs. Beterbiev 3 winner in 2026. Outside of that, Benavidez could jump up to cruiserweight and share the ring with Opetaia or "Zurdo" Ramirez. The hard-hitting champion certainly has the frame to compete at cruiserweight, and now that he features on Turki Alalshikh's Riyadh Season cards, it should become easier for "The Monster" to land the bigger fights. (Others receiving votes: Kenshiro Teraji, Lamont Roach.) WOMEN'S POUND-FOR-POUND 1. Katie Taylor — Undisputed super lightweight champion (Prev: 2) Taylor's sublime boxing ability was available for all to see when she comfortably outboxed Serrano for a decision win earlier this month. Some believed that Taylor's brilliant résumé, which includes wins over Serrano, Delfine Persoon, and Chantelle Cameron, wasn't enough to crown her as the No. 1 pound-for-pound women's boxer due to the closeness of her fights and the controversy stemming from several of them. But with her more convincing victory over Serrano, the time is now for Taylor to wear her crown as the best in the world. The Irishwoman is nearing the end of her pro career and could have just one bout left. Taylor hopes for a grand send-off at her dream venue, the 80,000-capacity Croke Park Stadium in Ireland, in 2026. 2. Claressa Shields — Undisputed heavyweight champion and WBO light heavyweight champion (Prev: 1) Shields is a five-division world champion and the only boxer, male or female, to have held undisputed titles in three different weight divisions of the four-belt era. She won undisputed gold at middleweight in 2019 (where there are only 37 active participants in the world), at super welterweight in 2021 (which has 63 registered boxers), and most recently at heavyweight, (home to just 18 fighters). With 118 fighters competing in the three divisions she's won the undisputed championships in, it's understandable why the two-time Olympic champion has struggled to find big-name dance partners. Regardless, she's beaten every contender put in front of her, and that's all that anyone can ask of any pugilist. Shields returns on July 26 to defend her undisputed heavyweight crown against New Zealand's IBF light heavyweight champion Lani Daniels. 3. Gabriela Fundora — Undisputed flyweight champion (Prev: 4) Fundora stopped Gabriela Alaniz in impressive fashion to unify the flyweight division this past November in Las Vegas. She then followed up that win with a seventh-round knockout over Marilyn Badillo Amaya at a Golden Boy show in Oceanside, California, in April. At just 22 years old, she is the youngest undisputed champion of the four-belt era — and she could very well be the face of women's boxing in the years to come. 4. Amanda Serrano — Unified featherweight champion (Prev: 3) Puerto Rico's Serrano was defeated for a third time by Taylor in their undisputed title fight earlier in July. This time, however, there was no controversy on the night — Serrano was simply beaten by the better woman. Regardless of coming out 0-3 in the historic series, Serrano will always be able to say that she took part in the first major trilogy of fights in women's boxing. It is unclear what the future holds for Serrano, but fights with Chantelle Cameron or Alycia Baumgardner — both of whom share a promoter with Serrano — would make for compelling viewing. 5. Chantelle Cameron — WBC interim super lightweight champion (Prev: 5) Chantelle Cameron captured the undisputed super lightweight title with victory over Jessica McCaskill in 2022, but her biggest triumph undoubtedly came when she upset Taylor in her homecoming bout at a packed 3 Arena in Dublin the following year. Taylor would produce a fantastic performance against all odds to defeat Cameron in the rematch and become a two-division undisputed champion. Cameron has since recorded three wins on the trot, including a decision over Jessica Camara on the Taylor vs. Serrano 3 undercard. The Brit wants another shot at Taylor, but the fight could prove difficult to make after the Irishwoman, uncharacteristically, fired shots at Cameron's commercial standing in the post-fight press conference after her third win over Serrano. 6. Alycia Baumgardner — Undisputed super featherweight champion (Prev: 7) Baumgardner announced herself to the pugilist community when she knocked out Terri Harper on her feet to win the WBC super featherweight title in November 2021. Baumgardner eventually became the undisputed champion at 130 pounds, beating Mikaela Mayer, but her career was halted for some time after failing an anti-doping test in the lead-up to her title defense against Christina Linardatou. The American fought to a no-contest against Delfine Persoon in her return fight this past September. Baumgardner has since made big moves in the women's game, signing with Jake Paul and Nikisa Bidarian's Most Valuable Promotions. She made her debut for the company on the Taylor vs. Serrano undercard, defeating Jennifer Miranda. Baumgardner now hopes to land a fight with Taylor for all of the marbles at 140. 7. Dina Thorslund — Former Unified bantamweight champion (Prev. 6) Thorslund has secured world titles in two weight classes: Bantamweight and super bantamweight. Since unifying in 2023, she has made three successful defenses of her bantamweight crown. Thorslund was scheduled to take on Shurretta Metcalf in a three-belt unification bout on the Taylor vs. Serrano 3 undercard, but the Danish woman withdrew one month out due to an impending pregnancy. Thorslund ended up relinquishing her WBC and WBO titles due to her extended period out of the ring. New Zealand's Chernkea Johnson defeated Metcalf for the WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF undisputed bantamweight title on the Taylor vs. Serrano 3 bill. Thorslund's return could see her get a straight shot at the undisputed crown against Johnson. 8. Lauren Price — Unified welterweight champion (Prev: 10) There are few active fighters who are more decorated than burgeoning Welsh fighter Lauren Price, who won the gold medal for Britain at the 2020 Olympic Games, and has parlayed that success into the pro game. She's unified three major world championships, as well as The Ring Magazine title, after only nine bouts. In that short space of time, she's already defeated McCaskill and Natasha Jonas. At just 30 years old, the southpaw's best years may still be ahead of her. Price was hoping to unify her three titles with WBO champion Mayer in an undisputed bout, but the boxer's respective teams were unable to reach an agreement. Neither fighter's promoters, Top Rank or BOXXER, have a network deal at this time, so the fight could prove difficult to organize. 9. Ellie Scotney — Unified super bantamweight champion (Prev: Unranked) Ellie Scotney debuts on Uncrowned's women's pound-for-pound list at No. 9. She won her first world title when she outpointed New Zealand's Johnson, the current undisputed bantamweight champion, in June 2023. The Catford woman added the WBO belt to her collection with a dominant decision over Segolene Lefebvre in April 2024. Still, Scotney has struggled to gain recognition outside of the boxing community. To further her cause, she penned with Paul's Most Valuable Promotions earlier this year and added the WBC strap with a convincing win over Yamileth Mercado on the Netflix-streamed Taylor vs. Serrano 3 show, which was viewed by an audience of 6 million. Now Scotney has just one belt remaining to become undisputed champion — the WBA title currently held by the little-known Mexican Mayelli Flores. Outside Flores, Scotney could face the former WBC featherweight champion Skye Nicolson in a super bantamweight title defense after Nicolson moved down to 122 pounds following her loss to Tiara Brown in March. 10. Mikaela Mayer — WBO welterweight champion (Prev: 8T) Mayer has been on the wrong end of two disputed decisions. In 2022, she was considered unlucky not to get her hand raised after 10 brilliant rounds with Baumgardner, and in 2024, she came away second-best again in the eyes of the judges against Natasha Jonas. The rub of the green finally favored Mayer in September, though, when she edged Sandy Ryan to win the WBO welterweight title. Mayer vs. Ryan, alongside Taylor vs. Serrano 2, was the frontrunner for fight of the year honors in 2024. Mayer and Ryan fought a rematch on March 29, news of which was first reported by Uncrowned. It was a case of repeat rather than revenge as Mayer, again, won via decision. (Others receiving votes: Cherneka Johnson, Caroline Dubois, Yokasta Valle, Shadasia Green.) Here is how Uncrowned's boxing team voted: Kel Dansby MEN Oleksandr Usyk Naoya Inoue Terence Crawford Jesse Rodriguez Dmitry Bivol Saul Alvarez Junto Nakatani Shakur Stevenson David Benavidez Artur Beterbiev WOMEN Claressa Shields Katie Taylor Gabriela Fundora Amanda Serrano Alycia Baumgardner Mikaela Mayer Lauren Price Dina Thorslund Chernkea Johnson Chantelle Cameron Alan Dawson MEN Oleksandr Usyk Dmitry Bivol Naoya Inoue Terence Crawford Jesse Rodriguez Artur Beterbiev David Benavidez Lamont Roach Shakur Stevenson Junto Nakatani WOMEN Katie Taylor Claressa Shields Gabriela Fundora Chantelle Cameron Alycia Baumgardner Dina Thorslund Amanda Serrano Caroline Dubois Shadasia Green Ellie Scotney Darshan Desai MEN Oleksandr Usyk Naoya Inoue Terence Crawford Dmitry Bivol Jesse Rodriguez Artur Beterbiev Saul Alvarez Shakur Stevenson Junto Nakatani David Benavidez WOMEN Katie Taylor Claressa Shields Gabriela Fundora Amanda Serrano Chantelle Cameron Alycia Baumgardner Ellie Scotney Mikaela Mayer Lauren Price Cherneka Johnson Jake Donovan MEN Oleksandr Usyk Naoya Inoue Terence Crawford Dmitry Bivol Jesse Rodriguez Artur Beterbiev Junto Nakatani Saul Alvarez Shakur Stevenson David Benavidez WOMEN Katie Taylor Claressa Shields Gabriela Fundora Amanda Serrano Chantelle Cameron Dina Thorslund Lauren Price Mikaela Mayer Alycia Baumgardner Ellie Scotney Lewis Watson MEN Oleksandr Usyk Naoya Inoue Terence Crawford Dmitry Bivol Artur Beterbiev Jesse Rodriguez Junto Nakatani Kenshiro Teraji David Benavidez Shakur Stevenson WOMEN Katie Taylor Claressa Shields Gabriela Fundora Amanda Serrano Dina Thorslund Chantelle Cameron Ellie Scotney Alycia Baumgardner Yokasta Valle Lauren Price Elliot Worsell MEN Oleksandr Usyk Terence Crawford Dmitry Bivol Naoya Inoue Jesse Rodriguez Artur Beterbiev Saul Alvarez Junto Nakatani David Benavidez Shakur Stevenson WOMEN Claressa Shields Katie Taylor Gabriela Fundora Amanda Serrano Chantelle Cameron Lauren Price Ellie Scotney Alycia Baumgardner Mikaela Mayer Chernkea Johnson
Associated Press
28 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Hamburger SV signs Israel goalkeeper Daniel Peretz on loan from Bayern Munich
HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — Israel goalkeeper Daniel Peretz is joining promoted Hamburger SV from Bayern Munich on loan for next season. 'Daniel has continued to develop at FC Bayern over the past two years, and we are very pleased with him,' Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund said Monday. 'He has really good skills and an outstanding character. He's always reliable in our goalkeeping team led by Manuel Neuer. Now he'll gain further experience and plenty of Bundesliga minutes at Hamburger SV.' That's not a given, as established goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes is a club favorite at Hamburg after helping it to promotion last season. The 32-year-old Heuer Fernandes showed he's in fine form with several saves in a friendly game at Austrian team Sturm Graz on Saturday. The 25-year-old Peretz made seven competitive appearances for Bayern since joining from Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2023, but found it hard to break through with Neuer still preferred as No. 1 and Bayern signing the 21-year-old Jonas Urbig from Cologne in January. Peretz has also played seven games for Israel. ___ AP soccer:
Associated Press
30 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Euro 2025: England coach Wiegman says Jess Carter is ready for semifinal despite online abuse
GENEVA (AP) — England defender Jess Carter is ready to play in the Women's European Championship semifinals after being targeted with racist abuse online, her coach Sarina Wiegman said Monday, adding that it's 'sad' and 'disgusting' that the team has to deal with such an issue. Defending champion England plays Italy on Tuesday, two days after Carter, who is Black, revealed she was subjected to racist abuse this month that was reported to police at home. 'She's ready to perform and to compete. That says also a lot about her and about the team,' Wiegman said at the Geneva stadium. 'Of course, it's really sad that we have to be occupied by this,' the coach added. 'It's ridiculous, it's disgusting what's happening and that goes beyond football.' England trailed by two goals after a rough first half-hour against Sweden in the quarterfinals in Zurich, then rallied late to level the game. England won a memorably chaotic penalty shootout. Carter is 'not the only one that gets this abuse or this racism,' Wiegman said, adding her team was ready to send a 'message to the world.' England midfielder Georgia Stanway said the collective support for Carter 'probably brought us together as a team.' England players talked about the abuse, Stanway said: 'A few people want to come off social media because they're fed up with it.' Tournament organizer UEFA, like world soccer body FIFA and the International Olympic Committee, try to protect athletes with online platforms that flag up abusive posts reported to social media operators. UEFA acknowledged last week this strategy has limited success because of the regulations applied by social networks. 'Although it's a hard situation, Jess is a very strong person,' Wiegman said. 'She also felt, and so did we, that we had to address this. You can't just let it go.' The 27-year-old Carter has played 49 times for England, and came to Euro 2025 after helping her club Gotham FC in New Jersey win the CONCACAF Champions Cup final. Carter's teammates at Gotham include her partner Ann-Katrin Berger, the goalkeeper who was the star of Germany's win over France in the quarterfinals. Germany plays tournament favorite Spain in the other semifinal on Wednesday in Zurich. ___ AP soccer:
