Based on reports filtering in, it appears Shakur Stevenson‘s dream run with Matchroom Boxing, which began last year, has come to an end. The precise reasons behind the purported separation remain unclear. Rumors continue to swirl. If true, the fallout comes shortly after his much-anticipated fight with William Zepeda was confirmed. The new arrangement suggests Stevenson is now seemingly enlisting Lou DiBella’s help.

At this stage, it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact fault line. However, renowned boxing insider Rick Glaser offered a hint. While discussing the report, he mentioned that Eddie Hearn may have ‘fallen out of favor’ with Turki Alalshikh. For those in the know, recent weeks saw Stevenson, who made his Riyadh Season debut in February, go public with his disappointment over the offer made for the Zepeda fight. Expressing a desire to let bygones be bygones and start afresh, he later apologized to the team. And now, he and Eddie Hearn appear to be going their separate ways. So, how do we connect the dots?

Shakur Stevenson and Matchroom: The saga ends here

“Let’s clarify & denounce some boxing rumors with the facts. And the facts are as follows,” Rick Glaser made it clear. He began by citing the recent departure of Edgar Berlanga from the Matchroom ranks. Countering rumors that Berlanga had signed with Al Haymon’s PBC, he clarified, “Edgar Berlanga did leave Eddie Hearn, but he did not sign with PBC.”

Glaser explicitly mentioned that Berlanga remains a free agent, with Keith Connolly as his manager. He then affirmed that Shakur Stevenson has indeed left Matchroom: “Shakur Stevenson has left Eddie Hearn,” he said, adding that the WBC lightweight champion might now be working with Lou DiBella for a ‘fight by fight’ deal. He concluded, “Eddie Hearn has fallen out of favor with @Turki_alalshikh. Rightfully so.” Eminent boxing journalist Dan Rafael also reported similarly.

“In reporting on the July 12 card with Shakur-Zepeda, a source with knowledge of specifics told me Shakur split from Matchroom,” he said. It now appears Lou DiBella will promote the upcoming bout against Golden Boy’s Zepeda. “James Prince, his manager, has hired Lou DiBella as his promoter for the event to handle things on their behalf.”

Rafael had actually shared the news much earlier. So one of the users remarked. Probably, Shakur Stevenson had ‘CTE.’ Otherwise, why would he switch across established promoters such as Top Rank and Matchroom, only to settle down with Lou DiBella?

What ties it all together

So Rafael responded. He suggested that Stevenson has basically managed the situation to his advantage. He is earning a significant amount of money for his fight with William Zepeda. Financially, that’s a big win. Normally, if a fight is mandated by a sanctioning body and the two sides can’t come to an agreement, it goes to a purse bid. So the current development suggests Stevenson avoided that process, which can be messy or less profitable. He secured the fight on better terms.

Instead of signing an exclusive promotional contract, Stevenson will pay a one-time fee to Lou DiBella to organize the event. Perhaps to make a point, Stevenson even called out, “ZEPEDA PAYS FOR EVERYTHING!!” Now, whether he meant that Zepeda would pay in the ring, serving as the outlet for Stevenson’s recent stress and tribulations, or he was speaking purely in financial terms, it’s anyone’s guess.

Nevertheless his purported move means DiBella may get less than they would under a traditional long-term contract. Once the fight is over, Stevenson won’t be tied to any promoter. This keeps his options open and gives him more negotiating power for future fights.

As he prepares for the much-anticipated bout on July 12, that more or less sums up where Shakur Stevenson currently stands. As for Eddie Hearn, it’s yet another star boxer choosing to operate outside the Matchroom umbrella. Whether this fallout, if it can be called that, could have something to do with tensions behind the scenes with Riyadh Season is anyone’s guess at this point.

What’s your take? Do you think bringing Lou DiBella on board was a smart move by Shakur Stevenson’s team?