Shakur Stevenson Released from Zuffa Boxing to Start Own Promotion

WBO junior welterweight champion Shakur Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs) announced his release from Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing on Monday to launch his own promotional firm.

WBO junior welterweight champion Shakur Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs) announced his release from Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing on Monday, October 19, 2026. According to reporting by ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, the 29-year-old former U.S. Olympic silver medalist never appeared in a single bout under the banner after signing with the company in July. Stevenson requested the split following eight weeks of training for fights that failed to materialize, including a potential matchup with WBO welterweight champion Devin Haney that collapsed amid social media disputes regarding the weight class.

Ranked as the No. 5 pound-for-pound boxer by ESPN, Stevenson intends to launch his own promotional company to manage the next phase of his career. The four-division champion last competed in January, securing the WBO 140-pound title with a dominant victory over Teofimo Lopez. While Stevenson expressed a long-term goal of moving to the 147-pound welterweight division to face opponents like Ryan Garcia, he stated his immediate priority remains defending his current title and securing major bouts at 135 and 140 pounds.