From a boxer’s point of view, the logic is flawless, but from a business point of view, it’s a complete mess.
Shakur’s fight with William Zepeda proved that he can fight with presence when he wants to. He stayed in the pocket, and he made exchanges happen. In that fight, Stevenson threw combinations instead of the usual ‘one shot and move’ routine. The fight had drama, and the crowd actually felt it. It wasn’t just 12 rounds of hitting and not getting hit.
Keyshawn watched it and saw nothing but danger. He saw Shakur stand still for too long and get punched that he could have easily avoided. He saw a fighter step outside of his usual safety-first style to prove a point to the fans. Keyshawn’s message was simple: Don’t do it again.
That advice crashes head first into the reality of 2026.
The people who write the checks for boxing’s biggest stages have been blunt about what they won’t pay for. They don’t want long stretches of motion without action, and they don’t want “control” if that means no confrontation. Recent comments from Turki Alalshikh were not subtle. They were a warning.
It matters because boxing is no longer on free TV. Fans pay monthly fees just to keep up, then pay again on fight night. When the action fades, the fans’ patience goes with it. We saw it in the hostile reaction to the De Los Santos fight and the early exits in Newark against Harutyunyan. People didn’t stick around to debate Shakur’s footwork; they just left.
This is the crux of the matter. Keyshawn provides advice intended to reduce risk. The money-making box is currently calling for visible action.
Promoters talk about resurgence and often point to Ali. Not because Ali fought safely, but because his fights involved danger even when he was in control. He mixed defense with involvement. He allowed moments to develop, and that balance is what people remember.
Shakur can fight like that because he just proved it against William Zepeda. The question is not whether he can do it, but whether he is willing to do it. Keyshawn sends him back to the version of himself that wins rounds cleanly but leaves the fans cold. That version still works for the record books, but it may not work for the bank account in this new era of boxing.
Winning is still the goal, but winning alone may not be what people pay for anymore.
