Shakur Stevenson targeting move back down in weight to face ‘great’ world champion

After seemingly moving out of the lightweight division, pound-for-pound star Shakur Stevenson could be poised to move back down, after confirming his interest in a world title challenge in the 135lb scene.

Stevenson had held the WBC lightweight world title at the beginning of the year and planned on returning to defend it after venturing up and dethroning Teofimo Lopez for the WBO super-lightweight crown.

However, shortly after his triumph over Lopez, Stevenson was stripped of his lightweight title due to unpaid sanctioning fees, a move which has seen him opt to keep his super-lightweight strap and seemingly campaign at 140lbs, even threatening a move up to welterweight.

Yet, an immediate title shot could tempt him to return to lightweight and speaking on The Agnew Podcast, the Newark southpaw admitted his interest in a challenge for Raymond Muratalla’s IBF world title.

“I would love to make that fight happen. I think that Raymond Muratalla is a great fighter, I definitely see his game where he does a lot of great things; he is long, tall and he has got a great right hand.”

Muratalla scored a surprise majority decision victory over Andy Cruz to retain the IBF title at the beginning of the year but the Californian has hardly been linked to a fight since. Instead, ‘Danger’ is expected to face the victor of Cruz and Albert Bell’s planned bout.

Therefore, with no mandatory due any time soon, Muratalla looks to be the most obvious option, should Stevenson wish to return to the lightweight division.