“I would love for it to happen, but the way he went on like social media and kind of dropped me to where he made it seem like I needed him,” Stevenson said during an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience. “I just feel disrespectful about it because I’m a grown man, I make my own money, I live a spectacular life. I don’t need anybody. If he feels like I need him, and it’s that kind of stuff, then whatever. I don’t need that fight.”
The wording reflects a marked change in posture. Shakur moved up to 135 pounds in 2023 and quickly focused much of his public messaging on Gervonta. He has repeatedly told fans that he believes his skill will be too much for the knockout artist and has argued that the fight represents the biggest matchup available in the division.
Tank rarely became involved in that campaign, and the two fighters continued on separate paths. The fight that once seemed like a natural clash between elite lightweights has never progressed beyond public talk.
The situation surrounding Stevenson’s career changed during that time. Saudi-backed boxing events financed by initiatives linked to Turki Alalshikh have brought enormous purses into the sport, giving fighters another way to secure big paydays without depending on traditional pay-per-view bouts.
This change reduces the pressure on contenders to chase a single opponent for financial reasons. A fighter who once depended on the biggest draw in the division to unlock elite money can now earn similar purses through Saudi-backed events with different opponents.
Shakur’s comments suggest that reality has changed how he views the Tank situation. The struggle may still have a competitive appeal, but its message now emphasizes independence rather than aspiration.
So the rivalry exists in a different space than it did two years ago. Stevenson once touted the bout as a vital proving ground for the lightweight division. His latest comments frame it as an option rather than an obligation, a tone tied to the changing economics surrounding the sport’s top fighters.
Whether that change ultimately brings the two champions together remains uncertain. For now, Shakur seems comfortable presenting the Davis fight as something he would welcome rather than something he needs.
