Shakur Stevenson made his position clear. He’s looking for the most lucrative fight available, and he believes Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz qualifies on name recognition alone. That move says more about where Stevenson sees his career heading than it does about the competitive logic of the game itself.
Stevenson pointed to Cruz’s popularity among casual fans, arguing that some believe Cruz’s pressing style may bother him. In the same breath, he dismissed the fight as routine. That inconsistency is the problem. If the opponent is marketed as dangerous to sell the fight, but privately treated as easy work, the result is usually a fight built on hype rather than risk.
With a wide unanimous decision victory over Teofimo Lopez for the WBO title at 140 pounds, Stevenson’s yardstick changed. ‘Pitbull’ Cruz doesn’t cut it. A 12-round majority draw against Lamont Roach Jr. in December exposed the limits of the “Pitbull” pressure. Once the aggression was contained, there was no secondary response. For an elite defensive tackle like Shakur Stevenson, late aggression leaves very little to resolve.
The decision to stay north is no longer a choice, but a fixed reality. After the WBC’s announcement this past Wednesday to strip Stevenson of his lightweight title, the bridge was burned back down to 135, fully committing him to the 140 pound landscape where Cruz is currently campaigning.
The timing is important. Stevenson has now moved fully into the light welterweight market, leaving behind any remaining leverage at 135 and narrowing his focus to fights that justify the move financially.
Cruz carries a recognizable nickname and a loyal following, but recent results don’t indicate the kind of threat that forces adaptation or risk.
Money first, risk second
Stevenson is stuck in a situation where big-name opponents bring the money but limited heat, while the dangerous fights build a legacy without the guaranteed payday. Choosing the easy name may be a safe business move, but it risks another crooked master class that has no real sense of danger. Ultimately, it leaves fans wondering what the point was in the first place.
“It’s about who’s the most profitable,” Stevenson said Cigar talk. “The ones that are the most profitable are the guys that I’m going to fight.” The honesty is refreshing. The direction it points is harder to defend.
Click here to subscribe to our FREE newsletter
Related Boxing News:
Last updated on 02/07/2026
