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For as long as fans can remember, WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson has been asking for a fight with WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis. Even fans feel it would be the biggest fight in recent history. Despite that, the Baltimore native continues to deny Stevenson the opportunity to throw down in the ring.

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With the fight still up in the air, Josh Padley, who stepped in as a last-minute replacement for Floyd Schofield Jr. against Stevenson last weekend, has shared his thoughts on the potential matchup. Padley was undefeated before fighting Stevenson in Riyadh, still, nobody thought he could defeat Stevenson. 

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The fight eventually ended with Stevenson scoring a 9th-round stoppage over Padley. Having experienced Stevenson’s skills in the ring firsthand, Padley gave his prediction on their matchup on the Ariel Helwani Show for when the fight eventually happens. “[Shakur Stevenson] is a very, very, very skilled fighter. I’m not denying that,” he said after putting a fair bit of thought into it. 

“The big question mark when you throw Tank’s name in there is obviously the power. It’s obvious if [Shakur] can use that skill and keep the power of Tank off for 12 rounds,” he added. Padley himself is split on who he thinks would win the bout. “I’m looking forward to seeing where he progresses from here and seeing who he calls out next and actually gets to the fight with.”

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While Padley thinks Davis’ power could cause problems for Stevenson, the latter doesn’t.

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Shakur Stevenson dismisses Gervonta Davis’ power

Shakur Stevenson remains confident that Gervonta Davis’ knockout power won’t be a factor if they ever meet in the ring even though Davis maintains a 93% finish rate. Fresh off his ninth-round TKO victory over Josh Padley, Stevenson dismissed the idea that Davis could land a decisive shot against him.

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“How is he gonna hit me? How is he gonna land his punches on me?” Stevenson queried while talking to Sports Illustrated. “I done watched how many Gervonta Davis fights? I done been in the ring with him before. I know a lot of things. I can’t wait for it to happen.” 

Davis is set to face Lamont Roach in the coming weekend, a fight for which Davis has received a lot of flak. Meanwhile, the matchup with Stevenson has been discussed for years, but it has yet to materialize.

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Having said that, even Josh Padley seems to be divided on who would win a fight between Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta Davis. It’s one of those fights where predictions are useless. Who do you think will win? 

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Sudeep Sinha

4,781 Articles

Sudeep Sinha is a Golf Writer at EssentiallySports, covering the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and the storylines around the sport's biggest events and names. He previously spent over two years writing in the Boxing department, where his fight-night coverage was featured on Sports Illustrated, Daily Mail, and Yahoo Sports, including his reporting on Ryan Garcia's career arc. On the golf beat, Sudeep covers tour news, player form, and the season-long storylines that shape the men's and women's game, from majors to the ongoing shifts in how professional golf is structured. That same appetite for detail that made his boxing coverage stand out now shows up in how he breaks down a swing change or a schedule shakeup for hardcore and casual fans alike. Outside work, he splits his time between reading, cycling, and following combat sports.

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Gokul Pillai

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