As anticipation builds for the historic Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford super-fight on September 13 at Allegiant Stadium, a fiery exchange between two young contenders has stolen early headlines—and it didn’t even take place in the ring. On the fringes of the event’s growing media storm, Floyd Mayweather’s teenage prodigy, Curmel Moton, found himself in a faceoff that may find itself being resolved in the undercard of the mega fight if all goes well.

The intense standoff, captured and posted via a collaborative Instagram reel by ‘AllThingzBoxing’, featured Moton squaring up with Zaquin Moses in a raw and unscripted moment. For those who may not already know, Zaquin Moses is Shakur Stevenson’s cousin. And Floyd Mayweather’s protégé, Curmel Moton, is someone who has trained and sparred with Shakur Stevenson at the Mayweather Gym in Las Vegas. Both are seen as the next big stars in boxing. So naturally, tensions ran high when the two came face-to-face. Midway through the faceoff, Moton stared down his rival and dropped back-to-back cold-blooded shots: “I’m gonna f** him up.”* The response came quick and just as sharp, as Zaquin fired back — “I’m gonna f** him up,”* repeating it multiple times, matching Moton’s energy with equal ferocity.

What could have passed for promotional posturing felt different this time — the energy was volatile, unscripted, and entirely believable. It wasn’t the typical trash talk laced with showmanship; it had the bite of something personal. And in boxing, that kind of energy tends to end up on a fight card. Word around the camps is that this isn’t just talk—serious discussions are underway to place this matchup on the prelims of Canelo vs. Crawford.

Adding fuel to the fire, DJ Bickham captioned the collaborative post: “I heard Curmel vs Zaquin is going to be on the prelims of Canelo vs Crawford 👀👀.” While nothing has been officially confirmed, the caption has only intensified speculation that the bout is more than just hype. With their history, it’s highly likely that this could be one of the bouts on the super-fight’s prelims.

Zaquin Moses, who only last year signed a promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, is quickly gaining a reputation as the next best thing in boxing. Having already featured on big undercards like Hitchins vs Kambosos Jr and Ennis vs Stanionis, the 20-year-old is no stranger to being put on the spot. Add to it that Zaquin Moses is one of the few to ever deal Curmel Moton a defeat in the amateurs in 2023, the long-running rivalry being resolved at the Allegiant Stadium seems all the more epic.

That card itself is already shaping up to be one of the most globally ambitious in years. With streaming rights secured by Netflix and event backing from Saudi Royal His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, the lineup features a mix of rising stars and international hopefuls—including Japan’s Junto Nakatani, Canadian-Cameroonian brawler Christian Mbilli, American standout Abdullah Mason, and India’s Nishant Dev. Another undercard fight being finalized is between IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev and Britain’s Josh Kelly—a matchup insiders believe could add solid UK appeal to the event.

In the middle of this evolving lineup, Curmel Moton—still just 18, unbeaten at 8–0 with six knockouts, has been generating buzz since his pro debut under Floyd Mayweather’s watchful eye.

Curmel Moton vs. Zaquin Moses: a rivalry long in the running

As the buzz intensifies around their rumored faceoff, Curmel Moton and Zaquin Moses both added fuel to the fire by delivering statement wins in their latest outings—each reminding the boxing world why they’re not just prospects, but genuine contenders in the making.

Moton, Floyd Mayweather’s most talked-about protégé, continued his unbeaten streak at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas on May 31. Fighting under the Premier Boxing Champions banner, the 18-year-old showcased both grit and skill against Renny Viamonte. Though Viamonte tagged him early with a clean hook, Moton responded with composed pressure, high-guard defense, and bruising counterwork. “He showed he could take a shot, reset, and return fire with intent,” one observer noted ringside. While the fight went the distance, Moton’s punishing right hands and ripping body shots controlled the tempo and left no doubts about who owned the ring.

Across the country, just two weeks later, Newark’s own Zaquin Moses kept his perfect record intact with a fourth-round TKO win over Carl Rogers at Madison Square Garden Theater. From the opening bell, the southpaw dictated the rhythm with pinpoint jabs and slick angles, gradually walking his opponent down. When the end came in the fourth, it was clinical—a right hook to the temple followed by a vicious flurry that left the referee no choice but to wave it off. “Do what I do and have fun,” Moses said post-fight. “I knew this kid wasn’t on my level… I work hard, and I’m showing it right here.”

With Moton now 8–0 and Moses improving to 4–0 with three knockouts, both are building serious momentum. One under the sharp guidance of Floyd Mayweather, the other a cousin of WBC champion Shakur Stevenson—and both, coincidentally, are reportedly circling each other for a potential showdown on the Canelo vs. Crawford undercard. If that bout becomes official, these recent performances have made one thing abundantly clear: this isn’t just hype — it’s the collision course boxing didn’t know it needed.