Tim Bradley thinks that since Shakur Stevenson moved up to lightweight in 2023, unreported ailments have contributed to a decline in his performance in subsequent battles.
According to boxing analyst Bradley, since increasing to 135 pounds, Shakur (22-0, 10 KOs) has been “quiet” about being hurt, which is why he performed so poorly against Artem Harutyunyan and Edwin De Los Santos. Shakur didn’t seem to trust his chin and seemed scared of getting hit in these contests.
Bradley remains silent about whether his theory about Shakur’s injury has persisted throughout his career, given that he has been just as boring in his battles against Jeremiah Nakathilia, Christofer Diaz, Oscar Valdez, Joet Gonzalez and Robson Conceicao since 2019.
Should Shakur’s cautious fighting style stem from injuries sustained in 2019, he may need to think about retiring or reducing his weight to 126 pounds.
“In recent fights, we haven’t seen the best of Shakur. That could be with injuries, and Shakur is the type of fighter who is quiet about his injuries. He don’t like to talk too much about them. He keeps it a secret. So maybe he’s dealing with something. That’s why we haven’t seen his best,” said commentator Tim Bradley in media reports.
Bradley seems to be speaking for Shakur by offering justifications, which mask the fact that Shakur is not and has never been an interesting boxer. Why did Shakur fight like an amateur if he was injured? It’s how he’s always battled.
In the 2016 Olympics, he was defeated by Robeisy Ramirez because to his tendency to play tag and run about the ring. Shakur lost because the judges would not hand him a victory in that terrible manner. He sobbed bitterly after, feeling defrauded. Shakur was unwilling to accept reality
“As far as dealing with the critics, let them talk. Just keep winning, champ. Keep proving people wrong. If you get the [William] Zepeda fight, go out and do your thing. Win by all costs. That’s it. As far as entertainment value, these fans pay to see you fight. There’s a balance you’ve got to have as a fighter,” said Bradley.
