After Close Fight Win Against Edwin De Los Santos, Shakur Stevenson Apologizes to Floyd Mayweather, Andre Ward and Terence Crawford for His “Bad Performance”

It could be argued that a win-is-a-win. But to many die-hards, until and unless it comes with a dash of chutzpah, a victory is as good as a defeat. To all intents and purposes, Shakur Stevenson won convincingly. His performance was sufficient to persuade all three judges to award the fight in his favor unanimously. It is the twenty-first straight win for Stevenson. But from the boos that could be heard, it was apparent that not many were too keen to join his party.

He continued his tradition of winning by points. Edwin De Los Santos, despite his reputation as an aggressive fighter, could barely breach Shakur Stevenson’s fortress. The latter, true to his style, kept on winning the points until the last round. But surprisingly, it wasn’t a performance he looked up to. Speaking to the media personnel, the three-division world champion offered profuse apologies, especially to the mentors whom he credits for guiding him to the stage where he stands today.

Shakur Stevenson seeks redemption while pursuing ring glory

During the post-match interview, Shakur Stevenson spoke about his ‘bad performance.’ He added that he wasn’t feeling well either. But for the time being, he’s come to accept the situation. Moreover, he won the fight; in the end, that’s all that matters.

Later, a few reports also caught up with him. Stevenson continued, “Bad performance… It just wasn’t me, man. I had a lot going on. I ain’t gonna make no excuses. It’s a good fight. I’m just a bad performance and not my standards.” When one of the reports asked him about his hands, the three-division champion asserted that they were fine. He wasn’t that keen to present it as an excuse for a lamentable performance.

One of the reporters asked, “What about your performance? What were you disappointed about?” The New Jersey native replied, “I don’t know. I can’t tell you. I just know I’m a better fighter than what I was tonight.” Another reporter asked him to explain what he meant when he said that he wasn’t feeling good. Stevenson said that he didn’t want to make any excuses.

Citing Floyd Mayweather Jr.‘s fights against Carlos Baldomir, he mentioned that the former struggled during that fight and many others. However, he still came out on top. Later, he appreciated his opponent, Edwin De Los Santos, as well. Then, after sharing how he wanted to control the bout, Stevenson told about Mayweather Jr. and Andre Ward‘s visit to his dressing room. A reporter asked what Mayweather Jr. spoke to him about.

The unbeaten southpaw replied that he came to offer his support. Later, Stevenson mentioned how he apologized to all three of his mentors for underperforming. He said, “Yeah, he came here to support me. I appreciate Floyd…apologize to him…apologize to André Ward. I apologize to Terrace Crawford. All my idols I put on the bad performance. They came out to see a great performance I put on the bad one.”

Undoubtedly, Shakur Stevenson deserves credit for displaying maturity by accepting any shortcomings on his end.

The path that lies ahead

Now that the fight is over, the unbeaten three-division champion stands on solid footing. As he mentioned, he might have to go back to the drawing board and re-assess his situation. He can wait for the first mandatory challenge to his title. Otherwise, he can go after the other belt holder if he has a plan chalked out to become the next undisputed champion. But that would entail fighting the likes of Gervonta Davis, Isaac Cruz, Vasyl Lomachenko, and maybe Devin Haney! Then there’s always the option of moving over a division. After all, a win in the light welterweight division will make him a four-division champion.

Read More: All You Need to Know About Shakur Stevenson’s Daughter: Her Mother, Name, Date of Birth, and More

What’s your take? Do you think Stevenson should offer his apologies, even though his performance has been subpar? Please share your views with us in the comments below.

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