How Can a Returning 28-Year-Old Boxer Steal The Show Once More?
Shakur Stevenson’s return to the lightweight picture comes at a moment when the division has accelerated without him, raising the question of whether his technical brilliance still commands the same authority it once did. His defense, timing, and composure separate him from most fighters at any weight. However, his recent inactivity due to injury has allowed the rest of the division to surge forward, with contenders gaining momentum and redefining the landscape. The overall energy at 135 now leans heavily toward aggression, nonstop exchanges, and high-pressure styles rather than patience, precision, and tactical margins.
While Stevenson is undeniably skilled, his style also presents a challenge in terms of broad appeal. He wins clean, but usually without the drama that captures casual fans or sparks heated debate in ranking conversations. Meanwhile, lightweight is one of the sport’s strongest divisions, filled with fighters who stay active, generate highlights, and dominate media cycles. During Stevenson’s absence, fighters like William Zepeda moving up in popularity due to his high activity and excitement while Stevenson wasn't fighting. There is a good possibility that if Stevenson is not able to replicate the energy that Zepeda and others have created during the time period that he was absent from the ring, Stevenson runs the risk of remaining an "undefeated" fighter who has a title but has little favor gain mass appeal which serves as a juxtaposition to Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz whose return to the ring, just like Stevenson, may steal the show.
Stevenson’s immediate future hinges on one critical fight. The WBC has ordered him to face Zepeda, a matchup that will reveal exactly how Stevenson’s technical mastery holds up against a relentless punch machine who refuses to back up. A strong performance would reposition Stevenson as a foundational force at lightweight. A shaky one would reinforce the notion that cautious, low-output fighting only becomes more vulnerable against elite pressure. The division has outgrown the era of waiting for champions to reintroduce themselves. Stevenson now has to make a statement, not just survive on tactics.
Stevenson knows the matchup that fascinates fans the most is a potential fight with Gervonta Davis, but major obstacles remain before negotiations can even begin. Stevenson is aware that facing someone of Davis’s stature would be career-defining, yet he also understands that momentum must come first. Eleven rounds of clean, careful boxing may earn him a win, but it will not earn him the moment. Raising his output, sharpening his jab, and asserting pace with authority would remind the lightweight field that skill still matters more than spectacle, especially when skill is paired with urgency.
Stevenson is still a complete fighter, but he will only be recognized as the primary force in the division once he proves it again in the ring. Lightweight is evolving faster than any other division in boxing, and the fighters who rise are the ones who meet pivotal moments head-on. Stevenson can reclaim that status, but in this upcoming fight he must leave no doubt that he belongs at 135 and that the division has not passed him by. The pressure is squarely on his shoulders, and his opportunity to silence every doubt is directly in front of him.
