With high hopes, Matchroom Boxing found a talent among the countless who boxed in the Olympics last year. For those who may not remember, earlier this month, Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom announced the signing of 24-year-old Indian Olympian Nishant Dev. With this, Dev became the first Indian to be part of the British promotion. Dev will also create another historic moment when he steps into the ring to face Alton Wiggins in a 6-round bout on the undercard of Diego Pacheco vs. Steven Nelson at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas becoming the first Indian boxer to make his professional debut in the U.S.

Right now, Nishant Dev is another name among a stable full of big stars like Anthony Joshua, Dmitry Bivol, Jesse Rodriguez, Jai Opetaia, Jaron Ennis, Edgar Berlanga, and more. However, as EssentiallySports caught up with the youngster from Karnal, Haryana for an exclusive interview, he revealed to host Andrew Whitelaw his favorite boxer from the current roster of Matchroom boxers.

Shakur Stevenson helps the young Olympian spar better

Out of all the stars that the Matchroom roster holds currently, Nishant Dev is most impressed by their newest signee—the WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson. He holds ‘Sugar’ in high regard and considers him one of the modern greats. “Right now, my Matchroom boxer is Shakur Stevenson. He’s in with Matchroom so he’s one of my great boxers in list,” admitted the 24-year-old Olympian.

Nishant Dev not only respects Stevenson but also finds Shakur Stevenson’s fighting style and stance similar to his which helps him figure out his own training and better his skills. “He’s southpaw, I’m southpaw too. The way he plays, Indian people think I play same, like Shakur. So when he spar, I see myself in him. And the way he boxes, I feels like I box like that. So it’s like good to be see him sparing and training,” confessed Dev.

The 24-year-old has high hopes for his debut and wants to become a world champion himself. He has the talent and ambition to make his dream a reality, and on January 25 in Las Vegas, he will take his first step towards it.

Talking about the Matchroom roster, there is one more fighter that Dev wants to see in action— a British dream fight that the whole boxing world has been waiting for a very long time.

Nishant Dev wants to see Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua

During the interview, Nishant Dev also shared his thoughts on another highly anticipated matchup: Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua. Despite Fury’s recent retirement announcement, Dev expressed hope that ‘The Gypsy King’ would return to the ring for this long-awaited all-British showdown. Fight fans have been looking forward to the AJ vs. Fury fight for almost a decade now, and the Matchroom’s newest member is no different.

Talking about the fight, Nishant Dev was quite analytical with his take. He seemed excited for the fight as it had so much to offer. “The whole world wants to see Tyson Fury again. He’s fast. He’s strong. And even I want to watch how Tyson Fury maintains distance,” stated Dev. As Andrew Whitelaw pushed him for a prediction, the 24-year-old chose his fellow Matchroom boxer’s rival as the winner. “I think Tyson Fury will win the fight,” predicted Dev boldly.

In his exclusive conversation with EssentiallySports, Nishant Dev’s ambition and determination were evident. With a clear vision for his career and the confidence to carve out his place among boxing’s elite, the young Southpaw is poised to make a strong impression.

Do you believe Nishant Dev’s fighting style resembles Shakur Stevenson’s? Do you agree with his prediction for Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!