Shakur Stevenson has ruled out fighting his new WBC lightweight mandatory O’Shaquie Foster after his clash with Teofimo Lopez, saying he already his obligatory fight in his last fight.
Foster’s “Don’t Run” exclamation
Shakur will hold on to his WBC 135-lb belt, though he has relinquished it for the time being by moving up to 140 for a payday against Teofimo. Often times, sanctioning bodies strip a fighter when they make weight, and a mandatory challenger waits for their shot.
Shaquie Foster (24-3, 12 KOs) became the WBC 135-lb mandatory last Saturday night, capturing the interim title with a 12-round unanimous decision victory over Stephen Fulton (24-2, 8 KOs) at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.
“You next!!! Don’t run anywhere, Chump,” O’Shaquie Foster said X to Shakur.
“Oh, I’m so scared,” said Shakur. “Now I’m in the driver’s seat, I’m a lap dog. I don’t have to evacuate s***. I just fought my mandatory my last fight lol,” Shakur Stevenson opines Xresponds to a poster calling him “Turkey’s lap dog” and predicting he will vacate his 135-lb title and stay at 140 after his fight against Teofimo Lopez.
Why Shakur can stay at 140
Foster is a poor style matchup for Shakur, so fast, defensively savvy, and a superior fighter on offense. One can’t blame Shakur if he isn’t eager to rush back down to 135 and defend against Foster because he could suffer his first loss and lose his WBC title.
Foster can do everything Shakur can, but with more power, and he’s more willing to take risks. When attacked, he doesn’t run around the ring like Stevenson.
This comment from Stevenson suggests that he will only decide on his WBC lightweight title after facing Teofimo. If things go well with Stevenson and he defeats Teo, there is a strong possibility that he will not return to 135. He’ll stay at 140 or move up to 147, chasing an extra mega-million payday.
Turki’s “Villain Role” fighters
What helps Shakur is that he has become one of Turki Alalshikh’s fighters, who he uses for his events. Despite a lackluster fighting style, Stevenson continues to get gigs on Turki’s cards, just as a similar fighter, Devin Haney, continues to be used. The two of them have fighting styles that fans criticize as ‘boring’. However, they are useful for villainous purposes.
Turki will get more bang for his buck if he replaces Shakur with Shaquie. He’s a better version of that style, and it will be more entertaining for fans. One thing Foster lacks is the same social media presence. He doesn’t post as often on X as Stevenson.
Last updated on 12/07/2025
