JRE MMA Show #175 with Shakur Stevenson
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Shakur Stevenson's performance against Teofimo Lopez was a 'giant wakeup call' for boxing, demonstrating his elite skill level.
- ❖He prioritizes avoiding damage in fights to ensure long-term brain health and financial independence, unlike many 'old school' boxers.
- ❖Stevenson sees himself as the 'most complete fighter in boxing' due to his ability to adapt his style to any opponent or situation.
- ❖His discipline and self-study, including reviewing sparring sessions like an opponent, are critical to his continuous improvement.
- ❖Learning from elite fighters like Terence Crawford, even through observation, significantly elevated his game.
- ❖Stevenson believes his past sparring sessions with Vasiliy Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez influenced their reluctance to fight him professionally.
- ❖He is motivated by the prospect of returning home to his younger brothers after a loss, which fuels his drive to win.
- ❖Stevenson mandates VADA testing for all his fights to ensure fair competition and protect himself from opponents using performance-enhancing drugs.
- ❖He views the fame and materialism often associated with boxing as distractions, preferring to spend time and money on family experiences.
- ❖Stevenson learned about the dangers of overtraining from Emanuel Steward's insights, adjusting his own regimen accordingly.
Insights
1Dominant Performance Against Teofimo Lopez
Stevenson's victory over Teofimo Lopez was a 'giant wakeup call for the entirety of boxing,' demonstrating his exceptionally high skill level. He made a world champion, who had previously beaten Lomachenko, 'look like he had no business in there.'
Joe Rogan's commentary and Shakur's agreement.
2Strategic Adaptation Against William Zepeda
Stevenson intentionally altered his usual tactical style against William Zepeda, choosing to 'stand with that dude' and 'fight that in a different way.' This was partly to earn Zepeda's respect and partly to counter judging biases that favor aggressive, forward-moving fighters, preventing the fight from appearing closer than it was.
Stevenson states, 'it was partly on purpose and partly to get his respect... if I try to outbox him and move around the ring, I probably would have made the fight harder than it had to be.' He also noted, 'judges give the fight to mostly the guys that's coming forward.'
3Prioritizing Long-Term Health Over Entertainment
Stevenson explicitly states his goal is to avoid taking unnecessary punishment to ensure he can 'speak well to my kids and my grandkids.' He contrasts this with 'old school boxers' who suffer long-term cognitive issues, and applauds fighters like Andre Ward and Floyd Mayweather who prioritize defense and leave the sport with faculties intact.
Stevenson says, 'taking punishment ain't for me.' He later states, 'My biggest goal is to leave boxing. And when I leave boxing, be good enough, well, not good enough, great enough financially to where I don't ever have to get back in the boxing ring.'
4Continuous Self-Improvement and '70% Performance'
Despite a 'virtuoso performance' against Lopez, Stevenson believes he only showed '70% of like what I really could do.' He constantly strives for higher levels, driven by a mindset that even his best public performances are merely 'okay days in the gym' compared to his peak training sessions.
Stevenson states, 'I kind of only really shown like 70% of like what I really could do.' and 'it was just like, okay, this is this is like a okay day in the gym.'
5Learning Through Observation from Terence Crawford
Stevenson credits Terence Crawford with significantly elevating his game, not just through sparring but by observing his training, good days, bad days, and fight night preparation. This observational learning allowed him to 'pick up on like the little things' and develop a belief that he 'can beat anybody.'
Stevenson states, 'he brought my game from like where it was at to like a very high level. And he don't even realize like he done that. like me just being in the gym able to watch him and pick up on like the little things that he doing.'
6Impact of Sparring on Future Fights
Stevenson believes his past sparring sessions with Vasiliy Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez directly contributed to their reluctance to fight him professionally. He out-boxed Lomachenko in early rounds and felt he was the better fighter against Lopez, making them wary of a real match.
Stevenson says, 'I messed myself up... a lot of fighters wouldn't fight me because I sparred them.' He details sparring Lomachenko: 'I felt like I was out boxing him.' And about Lopez: 'I felt like I was the better fighter.'
7Motivation from Younger Brothers
His 'champion mindset' was instilled by his younger brothers, who would relentlessly tease him about losses in amateur tournaments. The thought of returning home without a win serves as a powerful, unspoken motivator.
Stevenson explains, 'I think it's really my little brothers... if I lose and I got to come home to my little brothers. Oh, they on me.'
8Learning from an 8-Year-Old Before a Major Fight
Before his biggest fight against Teofimo Lopez, Stevenson was studying an 8-year-old amateur boxer, Tmaine Williams, to observe his jab usage and distance management. This demonstrates his commitment to learning from any source, regardless of experience level.
Stevenson reveals, 'It was a eight-year-old kid, Tmaine Williams... I like the way Tummaine was fighting in that fight. He was using his jab... I was literally watching an eight-year-old kid fight right before the biggest fight of my life.'
9Mandatory VADA Testing
Stevenson requires VADA (Voluntary Anti-Doping Association) testing for all his fights, making it a non-negotiable part of negotiations. He views cheating in combat sports as a life-or-death issue, unlike other sports.
Stevenson confirms, 'Do you require VA testing for all your fights? Yes. So, in negotiations, you make sure that everybody's getting tested... I do not play that.'
Bottom Line
Stevenson's career longevity strategy involves meticulous damage avoidance and financial independence, allowing him to retire on his own terms rather than being forced back into the ring for money.
This approach challenges the traditional boxing model where fighters often sustain severe damage and are compelled to fight past their prime due to financial necessity, leading to long-term health issues.
Promoters and fighter management could develop new models that prioritize fighter well-being and financial literacy, creating sustainable careers that allow athletes to exit the sport gracefully and intact.
Stevenson's continuous self-study, including reviewing his own sparring footage like an opponent, is a rare attribute among fighters, enabling constant adaptation and improvement.
Many fighters rely solely on coaches, potentially limiting their personal growth and ability to self-correct. Stevenson's method fosters a deeper understanding of his own habits and opponents' vulnerabilities.
Coaching methodologies could integrate more self-analysis tools and encourage fighters to become active participants in their own strategic development, moving beyond passive instruction to active self-mastery.
Opportunities
Elite 'Secret Weapon' Boxing Consultant
After retirement, Shakur Stevenson envisions himself as a highly paid 'secret weapon' consultant for fighters, leveraging his extensive ring IQ, observational skills, and deep understanding of boxing strategy to provide unparalleled insights and game planning for specific opponents or career phases.
Key Concepts
Iron Sharpens Iron
The concept that training with elite, competitive partners is crucial for continuous improvement. Stevenson emphasizes how sparring and observing fighters like Terence Crawford elevated his own game, pushing him to a higher level than he could achieve alone.
The Eraser (Deontay Wilder's Punching Power)
A term coined by Teddy Atlas, referring to Deontay Wilder's ability to instantly nullify all his mistakes and win a fight with a single, devastating punch. Stevenson acknowledges this rare, God-given power in certain fighters, contrasting it with his own tactical approach.
Boxer vs. Fighter Mentality
Stevenson distinguishes between fighting emotionally, which involves a contest of strength and ego, and boxing intelligently, which focuses on hitting without getting hit. He strives to maintain the 'boxer' mentality, relying on skill, range, and distance, while keeping the 'fighter' aggression in reserve as an arsenal option.
Lessons
- Prioritize long-term health and financial stability in your career decisions, actively avoiding situations that could lead to irreversible damage or financial dependence.
- Cultivate a mindset of continuous learning and self-improvement, even after achieving significant success. Always believe you can perform better and seek knowledge from all sources.
- Engage in rigorous self-study by recording and analyzing your own performances (e.g., sparring sessions) to identify habits, strengths, and weaknesses from an objective perspective, just as you would an opponent.
- Surround yourself with elite talent and competitive peers; 'iron sharpens iron' is crucial for pushing your limits and absorbing advanced techniques through observation and direct engagement.
- Develop a clear distinction between emotional 'fighting' and intelligent 'boxing' (or strategic execution in any field), striving to remain composed and analytical under pressure while retaining the ability to engage aggressively when necessary.
- Demand fair play and integrity in your competitive environment, advocating for and participating in robust anti-doping measures to protect your health and the legitimacy of your achievements.
Notable Moments
Shakur Stevenson's decision to stand and fight William Zepeda, a departure from his usual tactical style, was a calculated move to gain respect from his opponent and influence judges who favor aggressive fighters.
This demonstrates a high level of strategic thinking beyond just winning, adapting his style not only to the opponent but also to the external factors of judging criteria, even if it meant taking more punishment than usual.
Stevenson's revelation that he was studying an 8-year-old boxer's jab and distance management just before his career-defining fight with Teofimo Lopez.
This highlights his insatiable hunger for knowledge and improvement, showing that an elite athlete can find valuable lessons in the most unexpected places, reinforcing the idea that learning is a continuous, universal process.
Stevenson's desire to experience getting 'cracked' and hurt in a professional fight to prove his toughness, despite his focus on damage avoidance.
This reveals a deeper psychological aspect of an elite competitor—a desire to test and prove resilience, even if it contradicts his primary strategy for career longevity. It shows the drive to demonstrate an all-around championship caliber, not just technical skill.
Quotes
"My brain just knew how to win. Like it just everything was just like my instincts kicked in and everything just took over. Like I didn't even it it felt like an out-of-body experience."
"I feel like I'm the most complete fighter in boxing."
"I kind of only really shown like 70% of like what I really could do."
"Discipline is where that comes in. Enthusiasm and motivation is great in the beginning... but it's when you've been a champ for five years, six years, you know, the the grind of it all, the the 12-week training camp away from your family. People don't think about that."
"My biggest goal is to leave boxing. And when I leave boxing, be good enough, well, not good enough, great enough financially to where I don't ever have to get back in the boxing ring."
"You know, in boxing, you only could lose because of yourself."
"When I'm fighting, I'm emotional... When I'm boxing, I'm just on top of my game and it's like I'm able to hit you and you not able to hit me."
"Don't cheat. Anybody watching this, please don't cheat me. I am not the guy to be cheated."
Q&A
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