“If he wants a rehydration clause, pay me $20 million, and I can consider it. $20 million, that’s the number, but I’d also like to give him a beating for free,” Conor Benn told Ring Magazine. Xwhich is responding to Shakur Stevenson saying he would want a 10-lb rehydration clause if he were to fight him.
“He doesn’t call the shots,” Conor said.
Shakur, 28, is getting ahead of himself by talking about a potential fight with Conor Benn at 147 in 2026. He still has to win his fight against WBO 140-lb champion Teofimo Lopez on Jan. 31 before he can start talking about other guys.
That fight is far from a sure win for Stevenson, as he lacks power even at 135. Moving up to light welterweight could make his lack of punching power even more pronounced. He looked weak in his fight against William Zepeda last July and spent most of the fight with his back against the ropes.
It was a strange fight in which Stevenson was riddled with punches from Zepeda, and occasionally he received a counterpunch.
Assuming Shakur does defeat Teofimo, he’s going to have to decide how much he wants the Conor Benn fight. His demand for a 10-lb rehydration clause doesn’t sound like it’s going to be agreed. Beating Teo isn’t going to boost Shakur’s popularity enough for him to demand a weight handicap and expect it to be given to him against Benn.
For Stevenson’s popularity to rise significantly, he will need to beat the dangerous 140-pounders such as Gary Antuanne Russell, Ernesto Mercado and Subriel Matias. If he can beat those types of fighters, he’ll be in a better position to call the shots in a fight against Benn to claim a weight handicap.
