The boxing world is eager to witness a showdown between two of the brightest stars in the lightweight division: Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Shakur Stevenson. Both world champions have had each other in their sights for years, yet a fight between them has yet to materialize. While negotiations and circumstances have kept them apart, an authoritative voice has weighed in on the potential matchup—Terence Crawford, widely regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers today.
Davis currently holds the WBA title, while Stevenson reigns as the WBC champion. Davis is set to return to the ring on March 1 against Lamont Roach Jr. in New York, while Shakur Stevenson will defend his title against Josh Padley this weekend in Riyadh. With both fighters at the peak of their careers, a clash between them would be a defining moment in boxing, a stylistic battle that could shape the legacy of the lightweight division.
In an interview on the Cigar Talk Podcast, Crawford voiced his support for Stevenson in a hypothetical showdown against Davis. He emphasized that his stance is based purely on boxing analysis, not personal bias, citing Stevenson’s intelligence and technical skills as the key factors that would give him the edge over Davis’ power.
Crawford’s prediction: Davis vs. Stevenson
Terence Crawford acknowledged Davis’ explosiveness and knockout ability but expressed confidence that Stevenson possesses the tools to neutralize those strengths, particularly through his ability to control the pace and distance of a fight.
Terence Crawford celebrates with the championship belt after defeating Errol Spence Jr. in the World Welterweight Championship bout at T-Mobile Arena on July 29, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
“I got Shakur,” Crawford said. “Like I said, I respect Tank. In boxing, he’s one of the ones. We gonna take his personality and personal things out of it. Boxing-wise, he’s definitely talented, he’s definitely respected, but Shakur’s a different fighter. Shakur’s different, you know.”
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Crawford also addressed the criticism Stevenson often faces for being a defensive fighter without a high knockout rate. “People may call him boring, people may say he can’t punch, but they said the same thing about Floyd because they’re defensive fighters,” Crawford argued. He added that Davis would struggle to land clean shots on Stevenson as easily as he has against past opponents.
“Tank is not going to be able to hit Shakur like he hit everybody else, and he knows that,” Crawford stated, reinforcing the idea that Stevenson’s defensive mastery and counterpunching ability would make him an extremely difficult challenge for Davis.
The future of Davis vs. Stevenson: Will it happen?
Boxing is currently experiencing a golden era of high-profile matchups, and a Davis vs. Stevenson fight seems more possible than ever. However, one potential roadblock looms—Davis recently announced his intention to retire later this year, casting doubt on whether the fight will materialize.
Despite this uncertainty, fans remain hopeful that the matchup will take place before Davis steps away from the sport. The prospect of two elite champions facing off in their prime is too enticing to ignore, and if the right decisions are made, the boxing world could soon witness one of the most anticipated fights in recent memory.
