The upcoming clash is framed as a battle of contrasting styles. Paul, the larger fighter, boasts raw power and size, while Davis is the more experienced WBA lightweight champion, carrying an impressive 30-0-1 record with 28 knockouts.

Paul recently shared details about his training strategy, emphasizing speed over power. “We have world champions, Raymond Ford at 130 lbs, Montana Love, and Shakur Stevenson coming in this week. So, just sparring against guys on their level and people who have been doing this their entire lives. But, we are really focusing on speed, not as much on power,” he said, via TMZ.

Stevenson’s role confirmed

Stevenson acknowledged the opportunity, posting on X: “Fire, Get a chance to pick a great business mind brain and help give some game in the process I’m down.”

How Stevenson’s involvement changes the preparation

Stevenson’s participation adds both credibility and strategic advantage for Paul. Although Stevenson has been critical of the Paul vs Davis matchup in the past, he seems ready to play a role in shaping the fight’s dynamics. “They be so mad at me every day,” he teased online.

Davis vs Roach 2 context

Before this exhibition bout, Davis was expected to pursue a rematch with Lamont Roach Jr. after their controversial draw earlier this year. Stevenson commented on the situation, telling AK & Barak: “As a business, I understand. I ain’t going to hate on the decision, but as a man, your pride will get in the way.”

Paul, who has built a polarizing but successful career in the ring, is aware that Davis represents a different level of danger. To face that challenge, he’s adding high-level training partners — including Raymond Ford and Montana Love — to help fine-tune his timing and defensive skills.

Despite his confidence, Paul admits the pressure is unlike anything he has faced before. “Internally, I’m the most scared going into a fight that I’ve actually ever been,” he confessed to TMZ Sports. “Being vulnerable for a second, this is crazy. This is scary. It’s kind of keeping me up at night.”

Can Paul’s strategy against Davis actually work?

According to Paul, fear is now a motivator. He revealed he’s shedding muscle to gain speed, aiming to match Davis’s explosiveness. “The plan is to walk Tank into a knockout like I’ve done with other opponents,” he said, emphasizing that his training camp is centered on agility and counterpunching rather than power.

The fight will take place November 14 at Kaseya Center in Miami, where Paul will look to silence his critics once again. “I’m going to prove a lot of people wrong,” he declared. Whether Stevenson’s technical influence will be enough remains one of the most intriguing questions heading into the bout.

Davis, who has made a name for himself with highlight-reel knockouts and electrifying performances, appeared vulnerable in his most recent outing. Meanwhile, Stevenson delivered what many are calling the most complete performance of his career. With both men holding titles and momentum, the debate over who would emerge victorious has intensified—and now, one of boxing’s most iconic voices has weighed in.

Oscar De La Hoya, speaking to Ring Champs with Ak & Barak, shared his bold prediction for the hypothetical clash, and he didn’t hold back. “They’re different styles obviously. Shakur fights more on his back foot and fights tall. Throws one, two punches. Tank takes more risk. He goes forward more and has more power. I’m going to pick Tank by brutal knockout.”

De La Hoya’s take is notable, especially given Stevenson’s reputation as one of the sport’s most technically sound defensive fighters. But the promoter believes that Davis’ aggressive style and punching power would ultimately be too much.

Which fighter’s style has the edge?

Stevenson’s tall, technical, back-foot approach frustrates opponents with distance control and precision. Davis, in contrast, pushes forward with explosive power and unrelenting aggression. Oscar’s pick implies Davis’s power could overwhelm Stevenson — especially if he lands clean.

What’s next in potential Davis vs. Stevenson fight?

No fight has been confirmed — but speculation is mounting. De La Hoya’s prediction adds to the pressure to make the bout happen. As boxing fans wait, the hype continues to build around what could become one of the defining fights of the lightweight division.

Stevenson, who has risen rapidly in the boxing world, sees Mayweather not only as a role model but also as an invaluable source of knowledge, particularly when it comes to injury management and longevity in the sport.

Floyd Mayweather Jr., known as “Money,” left an indelible mark on professional boxing, retiring undefeated with a 50-0 record. His career was defined by victories against legends such as Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Canelo Alvarez, and Miguel Cotto, cementing his status as one of the greatest boxers of all time.

After retiring in 2017, Mayweather has dedicated himself to promoting fighters through his company, Mayweather Promotions, working with talents like Gervonta Davis. Now, his experience and expertise are being sought by Shakur Stevenson, who faces challenges similar to those Mayweather overcame during his storied career.

Stevenson seeks solutions for injuries and longevity

In an interview with Seconds Out, Shakur Stevenson expressed his intention to reach out to Floyd Mayweather Jr. for advice on managing hand injuries, a topic Mayweather has extensive experience with.

“Yeah, I had a conversation with him a long time ago, but I think we need to revisit the conversation. Not only revisit it, but I need to get more detail, more in-depth about everything that he did with his hands that helped him prevail through all the issues he had to deal with coming up,” Stevenson explained.

Stevenson’s concern for his hands is crucial to his career, as injuries in this area can be devastating for a boxer. “I’m definitely gonna call him, probably when I get back and settle down a little bit more. But I’m gonna call him and ask him exactly what he did, what I need to do, how do I help myself, how do I save my career,” Stevenson said.

The value of Mayweather’s experience

Shakur Stevenson’s decision to seek advice from Floyd Mayweather Jr. highlights the importance of mentorship and the value of experience in boxing. Mayweather, with his vast knowledge and proven track record, can offer Stevenson unique insights into managing injuries, maintaining longevity, and achieving sustained success in the sport.

Crawford, who has been calling out Canelo since his undisputed welterweight victory over Errol Spence Jr. in 2023, took a step toward that goal by moving up to 154 pounds and defeating Israil Madrimov last year. However, that decision victory raised questions about whether Crawford’s power remains as impactful in higher weight classes.

Facing Canelo, a fighter who has never been knocked down or stopped, at 168 pounds poses a monumental challenge for Crawford. Shakur Stevenson, Crawford’s training partner and friend, has weighed in on the issue, warning that Canelo should be cautious, as he has witnessed Crawford “hurt heavyweights.”

Shakur Stevenson on Crawford’s power

In an interview with The Ring Magazine, Stevenson emphasized Crawford’s power, noting that it goes beyond just his right hand. “How does Canelo handle the power of Bud? It ain’t just the right [hand]. I get [he has a great chin], but when Bud hits him, is he just gonna walk forward and take the punches? I just don’t know. I done seen Bud hurt heavyweights,” Stevenson said.

Stevenson, a three-division world champion, revealed that he has always believed Crawford has the tools to defeat Canelo, particularly because of his style. “I just feel as though with Canelo’s style – and this was before [Dmitry] Bivol did it – I thought Terence Crawford was the only guy who could beat Canelo with his style.”

Crawford: The southpaw advantage

Stevenson also highlighted Crawford’s southpaw stance as a potential key factor in the matchup. Crawford’s ability to adapt and his ring intelligence could prove decisive against Canelo. “Bud is a southpaw. I think that’s underestimated about the fight. It makes it harder for Canelo. I think Canelo has some type of trouble with southpaws,” Stevenson added.

Expectation and uncertainty in the boxing world

Stevenson’s warning about Crawford’s power adds an extra layer of intrigue to what could be a historic fight. The question remains: Can Crawford carry his power and skill up to 168 pounds and overcome Canelo, or will the Mexican superstar’s experience and power prevail? The answer will be revealed this September in Las Vegas, where the boxing world will be watching closely.

The highly anticipated matchup, scheduled for September 13 in Las Vegas, has sparked intense debate about Crawford’s chances. While Canelo prepares for his upcoming bout against William Scull, Crawford remains laser-focused on his preparation for the September showdown. In a recent interview, Stevenson dismissed Canelo’s abilities, confidently stating that Crawford holds the key to a decisive victory.

“Beat[s] him easy,” Stevenson declared, summarizing his prediction in three words during an appearance on the All The Smoke Fight podcast. He downplayed the threat posed by Canelo, emphasizing Crawford’s superior skills.

When pressed for details on the strategy, Stevenson pointed to Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s victory over Canelo as a blueprint for success. “For me, it’s a blueprint already. Floyd was a lot smaller than Canelo when he fought him. You keep Canelo on the outside. I ain’t gonna say too much, but you keep him on the outside and make it an easy night,” Stevenson explained.

Crawford’s aspiration for legendary status

Terence Crawford’s recent performance against Israil Madrimov at junior middleweight has raised questions about his ability to compete at super middleweight. While Crawford outpointed Madrimov, his performance was not considered dominant. Vergil Ortiz Jr.’s recent victory over Madrimov has further fueled the debate over Crawford’s chances against Canelo.

Despite the skepticism, Crawford remains focused on achieving greatness. He sees the fight against Canelo as an opportunity to cement his legacy as one of the best in boxing history. “I would definitely rank top 5,” Crawford told Naji from Cigar Talk, showing his ambition to achieve immortality.

Is Stevenson overconfident in Crawford?

As Crawford prepares for the fight, Stevenson’s bold predictions stand in stark contrast to the widespread doubts surrounding Crawford’s chances. Stevenson’s unwavering confidence adds an intriguing layer to the buildup for the September clash. Only time will tell if Stevenson’s prediction holds true or if Crawford will face a tougher reality than anticipated.

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.

“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.”

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.

“He gonna come and throw a lot of punches, try to put pressure on me, try to turn it into a fight. There’s no way he can win that type of fight. He’s not smart enough, he’s not technically sound enough to do that. I feel like he throw a lot of hooks. That’s his game plan. That’s who he is.” stated Stevenson (17-0-0, 9 KOs)about Valdez to Boxing Scene.

On the other hand, the Mexican World Champion (30-0-0, 23 KOs)dismissed the fact of being considered as the one who will lose the battle, as he is confident in his abilities: “It doesn’t offend me at all. On the contrary, it motivates me.I love the fact that I’m the underdog. It brings more motivation to me.”.

Tim Bradley breaks down Valdez vs Stevenson and says upset could happen

Oscar Valdez, Shakur Stevenson and Tim Bradley have in common that they are two-division World Champions, so they understand each other perfectly. The retired Desert Storm took the time to analyze what can happen in this clash of undefeated fighters at 130 pounds, where he opts not to pay attention to the odds.

“Valdez has 10 championship fights, Stevenson has four. He has experience over Shakur and you can’t buy experience. If Shakur comes in too safe and I don’t think he does, but if he does because he wants to give a spectacular performance. That’s in his mind, ‘I want to become a star.’ He can get caught.“, said Bradley to Fight Hub TV.

Likewise, Tim Bradley specifically pointed out which of Valdez’s punches Shakur Stevenson has to watch out for, since, with less experience and fewer wars fought than his opponent, there is still uncertainty about the stamina of his jaw.

“Oscar can set him up while allowing him to hit him. ‘Hit me’and then he can connect from anywhere. That left hook is very good, accurate, on point and does damage. We don’t know how Shakur is going to react. We know how Oscar will. This guy fought with a broken jaw for 10 rounds, but we don’t know how Shakur will react.“, said the former Super lightweight and Welterweight titlist.

The MGM Grand Garden Arena will not miss the thousands of high-quality fights it has hosted when Valdez and Stevenson trade blows in its ring. These are two undefeated World Champions, at a great age to display their best boxing and, moreover, with a latent animosity that will make their fight even more heated.

Shakur Stevenson (17-0-0, 9 KOs) will put his WBO World Super featherweight title, which he won in 2021 against Jamel Herring, on the table. The Newark native is a two-division World Champion. Meanwhile, Oscar Valdez (30-0-0, 23 KOs)shares Stevenson’s 125 and 130-pound world titlist status. He took his current belt, WBC World Super featherweight, from Miguel Berchelt with a chilling knockout in 2021.

How to beat Shakur Stevenson? Canelo Alvarez’s lesson to Oscar Valdez

It is well known that the working group formed by Canelo Alvarez and Eddy Reynoso prioritize the good atmosphere and camaraderie. The Mexican superstar made this clear by revealing what advice he gave Oscar Valdez so he can come out on top in his tough fight against Shakur Stevenson on April 30 in Las Vegas.

“It’s gonna be a difficult fight for both fighters… So, I say, ‘Oscar, this fight is gonna be different. You need to keep focus and win the fight, not to put on a show for the people. Because (Shakur)a really good, skilled fighter, moves around. So, if you go forward, he’s gonna do his fight. You’re gonna (fight) his fight“, revealed Alvarez during one of the media day he usually has prior to his fights.

Almost all oddsmakers have Oscar Valdez below Shakur Stevenson, who is five years younger and has 13 fewer fights. However, Canelo Alvarez will be betting on an upset:“I’m surprised about that because Oscar can do many things in the ring. He always try to, ‘Oh, I’m gonna put on a show for the people and go forward and try to [go] in and out and take punches and throw punches…But Oscar have a lot of experience, have a really good training camp, so it’s gonna be a really good fight.“

As a recapitulation, the year started with fantastic clashes, such as Julio Cesar Martinez vs RomanChocolatitoGonzalez, Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall, Keith Thurman vs Mario Barrios, Claressa Shields vs Ema Kozin, and Amir Khan vs Kell Brook.

However, with due respect,the second trimester of 2022, April, May, and June, has the potential to become one of the best of boxing in years, given that the scheduled fights include not only top boxers but also world titles. Fasten your belts, the best is yet to come.

Which boxers are starring in the main events of the upcoming boxing fights?

It could be almost impossible to have a better lineup in a boxing schedule. Amazing prospects, fierce contenders, consolidated champions, and many of the best Pound for Pound fighters: all of them will step in the ring from April to June 2022.

Canelo Alvarez is ahead of one of the biggest challenges of his career as he is invading a heavier category than the one that haves him as the king. Tyson Fury is facing a hungry contender that is focused on troubling him inside the ring and not outside of it.

Female boxing is witnessing the likely biggest event of its history featured by Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano. A Lightweight prospect, Ryan Garcia, comes back to action after a long pause with the intention to become a serious contender in one of the current most competitive weight classes. Also, the Super featherweight division is on the verge of the tremendous collision of two of its top men: Oscar Valdez and Shakur Stevenson.

The list of upcoming fights scheduled in April, May, and June

April 2– Savannah Marshal- Win KO (round 2) Femke Hermans, WBO World Female Middleweight title, England

Yamileth Mercado- Win UD Isis Vargas, WBC World Female Super bantamweight title, Mexico

Yuliahn Luna Win- UD Mayeli Flores, WBC World Female Bantamweight title, Mexico

April 9 – Gennady Golovkin- Win TKO (round 9)Ryota Murata, WBA/IBF World Middleweight title, Japan

Ryan Garcia- Win UDEmmanuel Tagoe, Lightweight, San Antonio

Junto Nakatani- Win TKO (round 8) Ryota Yamauchi, WBO World Flyweight title, Japan

Marlen Esparza- Win UDNaoka Fujioka, WBC / WBA World Female Flyweight title, San Antonio

Sebastian Fundora- Win RTD(round 9) Erickson Lubin, Super welterweight, Las Vegas

Mikaela Mayer- Win UD Jennifer Han, IBF / WBO Super featherweight title, California

April 16 – Errol Spence Jr- Win TKO (round 10) Yordenis Ugas, WBC / IBF / WBA Welterweight title, Texas

Isaac Cruz- Win TKO (Round 5) Yuriokis Gamboa, Lightweight, Texas

April 23 – Tyson Fury- Win TKO (Round 6)Dilian Whyte, WBC World Heavyweight title, London

April 30– Shakur Stevenson- Win UD Oscar Valdez, WBC / WBO World Super featherweight, Las Vegas

Katie Taylor- Win (SD)Amanda Serrano, WBC / WBO / IBF / WBA World Female Lightweight title, New York

Liam Smith- Win TKO (Round 10) Jessie Vargas, Super welterweight, New York

Franchon CrewsDezurn- Win (UD)Elin Cederroos, WBC / WBA / WBO / IBF World Female Super middleweight title, New York

May 7 – Dmitry Bivol – Win UD Canelo Alvarez, WBA World Light heavyweight title, Las Vegas

May 14 – Jermell Charlo – Win KO (Round 10) Brian Castaño, WBC / WBA / IBF / WBO World Super welterweight title, California

Jaron Ennis – Win KO (Round 2)Custio Clayton, Welterweight, California

Gilberto Ramirez – Win KO (Round 4) Dominic Boesel, Light heavyweight, California

Sergey Kovalev – Win UDTervel Pulev, Cruiserweight, California

May 21 – David Benavidez – Win TKO (Round 3)David Lemieux, Super middleweight, Arizona

Janibek Alimkhauly – Win KO (Round 2)Danny Dignum, Middleweight, TBA

May 28 – Gervonta Davis – Win TKO (Round 6)Rolando Romero, Lightweight, New York

Erislandy Lara – Win TKO (Round 8)Gary O’Sullivan, Super welterweight, New York

June 4– Devin Haney – Win UD George Kambosos Jr., IBF / WBO / WBA / WBC World Lightweight title, Australia

Stephen Fulton – Win UDDanny Roman, WBC / WBO WorldSuper bantamweight title, Minneapolis

David Morrell – Win TKO (Round 4)Kalvin Henderson, Super middleweight, Minneapolis

June 7 – Naoya Inoue Win TKO (Round 2)Nonito Donaire, IBF / WBA / WBC World Bantamweight title, Japan

June 11 – Jaime Munguia Win KO (Round 5) Jimmy Kelly, Middleweight, California

June 18 – Artur Beterbiev Win KO (Round 2)Joe Smith Jr, WBC, IBF, WBO World Light heavyweight titles, New York

June 25 – Jesse Rodriguez vsSrisaket Sor Rungvisai, WBC Super flyweight title, Texas

Although, on April 30,the Fearless(17-0-0, 11 KOs) has a huge challengeto overcome to start thinking on bigger leagues: Oscar Valdez in a unification fight. The top fighters of the 135 weight class will defend their respective titles (WBC and WBO) in one of the most anticipated clashes of 2022.

Between Valdez (30-0-0, 23 KOs) and Stevenson, bad blood can be felt. They do not like each other, and, fortunately for boxing fans, they are also young, skilled, and successful, which can turn their fight into a real war. Bob Arum has compared the fight with the classic trilogy Erik Morales and Marco Barrera starred at the peak of their careers.

Shakur Stevenson vs Canelo Alvarez: who would win this fight?

Oscar Valdez is one of Canelo Alvarez’s stable mates. They train together usually as social media has proven along these years. It is obvious that Valdez takes advantage of being close tothe Pound for Pound king and asks him for advice to succeed. However, this does not worry Shakur Stevenson as he might not considerAlvarez as the fighter everybody says he is.

“It’s cool that he (Oscar Valdez) hasgot Canelo there, but Canelo can get in the ring to fight for him, and even if he could I feel like, if me and Canelo were at the same weight, I feel like I would beat him” shared a very confident Shakur Stevenson for Fight Hub TV.

There is a very specific reason that makes Shakur thinks that Canelo Alvarez will not be a problem in the ring for him: “I am a great boxer. I saw what Floyd did to him. I feel like Floyd picked him apart, and I feel like me personally I would do the same“.

Meanwhile, Canelo and Oscar Valdez are training at the same space, under the guidance and supervision of the same man, Eddy Reynoso, to try to make history in 7 days: first, Valdez conquering Stevenson’s WBO Super featherweight title, and then Alvarez, on May 7, becoming a two-time Light heavyweight Champion by defeating Russian Dmitry Bivol.