Shakur Stevenson next fight: WBC champ set to return in July, but against who?

The Shakur Stevenson next fight news has arrived and the lightweight champion has announced his return in July. And after months of debate, his next foe will be one of Germany’s top prospects.

Who will Shakur Stevenson next fight be against?

After making easy work of Edwin De Los Santos to end his 2023 schedule, Shakur Stevenson’s next fight options are pretty wide open. In March, it was revealed that a date and location had been set for his return in July. However, the opponent was not announced.

Well, after a long wait, his opponent was finally decided upon and it will be talented German prospect Artem Harutyunyan.

How to watch Stevenson vs. Harutyunyan in July

• The bout is set to headline a card on July 6
• The fight will take place inside the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey
• Stevenson vs. Harutyunyan will air exclusively on ESPN and ESPN+
• The event will kick off at 9 PM ET

Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan preview

Following another win in November, Stevenson will make his long-awaited return to the ring in a matchup that may be a bit of a letdown for diehard fans of the WBC champ.

Step down in competition? While the Newark native has been pushing for fights with some of the top stars at lightweight, he will instead get another prospect in Germany’s Harutyunyan. While “The Original” is a solid fighter the booking seems like a notable step down in competition for Stevenson. Since he is the more skilled fighter and has nine more fights under his belt.

High risk, low reward: There is not much for the Olympian to gain from this fight other than staying active. This is a bout that is perfectly set up for a shocking upset so Stevenson must make sure not to underestimate his upcoming foe and take an L that would be massively devastating to his career momentum.

The bottom line: This is almost like a tune-up fight for Stevenson and is a placeholder to stay busy in the hopes of getting a bigger bout in the Fall. That is why the goal in this scrap is a dominant victory for the American.

What makes Shakur Stevenson so popular?

Shakur Stevenson is one of the bright young stars in the sport. Over his first 21 fights, he faced very few challenges and the WBC champion has quickly garnered a growing fan base as he rises up the division’s pecking order.

Along with young stars like Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis, Stevenson is one of the new faces of the lighter-weight classes.

• Shakur Stevenson Record: 21-0 (10 KOs)
• Shakur Stevenson age: 26-years-old
• Shakur Stevenson began his career at bantamweight and represented the US in the 2016 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal at just 18 years old.
• Even before he won an Olympic medal Stevenson was an elite prospect as he earned titles at the 2014 AIBA Youth World Championships and 2014 Summer Youth Olympics.
• When he began his career in the professional ranks he fought mostly at featherweight, winning multiple titles including unifying all the belts at super featherweight.
• During the first few years of his career, the young star has scored big wins over proven fighters like Joet Gonzalez, Jeremia Nakathila, and Oscar Valdez.

Shakur Stevenson net worth

Money is often one of the greatest measuring stick for a fighter’s success. As of 2024, Shakur Stevenson’s net worth is believed to be as much as $5 million.