Just days after his victory over Teofimo Lopez, Shakur Stevenson loses his WBC lightweight belt. The association refers to its rules and regulations – Stevenson speaks of a 100,000 dollar claim.
The WBC has stripped Shakur Stevenson of his lightweight world title. The association announced on Wednesday via its website and social media that Stevenson must relinquish the belt. The WBC cites a rule stating that a champion may not simultaneously hold world titles from other associations in another weight class as the reason for the decision. The decision follows on directly from Stevenson’s performance last Saturday in Madison Square Garden. There, the 28-year-old clearly defeated Teofimo Lopez on points to win the WBO and Ring titles in the middleweight division. The success made Stevenson world champion in four weight classes.
It was initially unclear whether Stevenson was planning his future at half-middleweight or whether he would move down to lightweight for a suitable fight. The WBC has now effectively taken the time frame for this decision away from him. The US boxer reacted publicly and presented a different narrative: he wrote on X that he was stripped of his belt because he did not want to pay the WBC 100,000 dollars – a fee in connection with the Lopez fight. He emphasized that no WBC title was at stake in the fight against Lopez and sharply attacked the association: “100,000 for a couple of crooks … Take your belt, I don’t mind.”
Text by Robin Josten