Taking a loss is never easy for a boxer, especially the first one. But England’s Josh Padley hasn’t just accepted defeat—he’s embraced it, recognizing the sheer brilliance of his opponent’s skill set. His humility and sportsmanship seem to have earned him the respect of Shakur Stevenson. To understand the whole story, let’s rewind the clock a little.

Just last month, WBA No.2 ranked Floyd Schofield Jr. had to pull out of his fight against Stevenson at the eleventh hour because of illness. With no one to occupy the ring with and a withdrawal from a previous fight against Joe Cordina, the Newark native was in a tough spot. However, 29-year-old Padley stepped in as a replacement just four days away from the fight. 

No one. Absolutely no one thought Padley had a shot at beating Stevenson—even though he had defied similar odds when he defeated previously unbeaten Mark Chamberlain a year prior. But unlike the Chamberlain fight, Padley came up short and succumbed to Stevenson’s skill via 9th-round knockout. He didn’t need to make any excuses—the boxing community understood the insurmountable odds he was up against when he stepped in against Stevenson. 

Regardless, since the fight, he has been explicit about how good Stevenson really was. This continued when Padley sat down for a chat with DJ Bickham. When asked about whether he would be able to beat Stevenson in a rematch given enough time, Padley said, “I don’t know if my skill set is quite at Shakur’s level.”

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‘Paddy’ explained that Stevenson’s “timing and punch accuracy” was something he had never experienced before, noting, “I would have been more competitive, and I do believe that, I would have seen the full 12 rounds out but he’s a very good fighter.” Padley was also asked about Stevenson’s power—an aspect not typically considered his forte. Giving an honest assessment, Padley rated it “a six or seven [out of 10].”

He claimed while Stevenson is not the heaviest hitter out there, Stevenson made up for it with “his punch selection… accuracy and his timing.” To further explain what Stevenson does best, Padley said, “He can hit you bang on the button wherever he wants to… he’d just get me as soon as, whenever he wanted to.” After discovering the interview, 27-year-old Stevenson responded on X, writing, “Respect!!”

If Padley’s claims didn’t convince you, then this former two-weight undisputed champion will.

Terence Crawford claims there’s no one like Shakur Stevenson

Terence Crawford has been around the sport of boxing long enough to know a great fighter when he sees one. When the former undisputed champion looks at Shakur Stevenson, he doesn’t just see talent—he sees someone who is untouchable. “He’s a great fighter,” Crawford told Ring Magazine in a recent interview. “These fighters can’t beat him.”

With names like Gervonta Davis and Vasyl Lomachenko still looming, comparisons between Stevenson and the division’s elite continue. But Crawford believes the conversation is pointless—not because Stevenson is similar to past greats, but because he stands alone. “He’s unnatural. He has his own style,” Crawford said. “There’s no fighter in history that has a style like Shakur Stevenson.”

That said, it’s difficult to argue against a world champion and someone who has first-hand experience fighting Shakur Stevenson. With a dwindling list of contenders and Gervonta Davis’ continued refusal to fight, Stevenson is left with the dilemma of who to fight next. But do you agree with Josh Padley?