When you’re a four-division world champion, undisputed at super bantamweight, and ranked on nearly every pound-for-pound list in the sport, you’d expect universal praise. And in many ways, Naoya Inoue—aka The Monster—has earned just that. With a record of 30-0 and 27 of those wins coming by knockout, the Japanese phenom has run roughshod through multiple weight classes, collecting belts like souvenirs.

But greatness in boxing, as always, comes with debate. Not every fighter is sold on hype, no matter how shiny the resume looks on paper. Shakur Stevenson, a highly skilled southpaw and a two-weight world champion himself, isn’t exactly ready to place Inoue on boxing’s Mount Olympus—at least, not just yet. And when he recently joined The Ariel Helwani Show, the Newark-born technician didn’t pull his punches.

During his appearance, Stevenson addressed why the undefeated Japanese sensation didn’t make his personal top three pound-for-pound list. The 28-year-old broke it down: “I just think with Inoue, he had that 1 fight with Cool Boy Steph & he did good that fight, but then after that fight I just felt like (he fought nobody). They crucified me for fighting no name fighters & I felt like he kinda did the same thing,” Stevenson told Ariel Helwani.

That “Cool Boy Steph” he’s referring to? None other than Stephen Fulton—the former unified WBC and WBO super bantamweight champ. Inoue steamrolled Fulton in July 2023 in what many saw as a career-defining performance. But for the American tactician, that lone mega-fight wasn’t enough to validate the Monster’s resume.

It’s not the first time Stevenson has caught flak for the same thing. Critics have often accused him of playing it too safe in terms of matchmaking. For instance, after his November 2023 bout against Edwin De Los Santos—a fight Stevenson won but was widely criticized for its low action—fans and pundits alike slammed the match as “uneventful” and called out his lack of risk-taking. Earlier, names like Jeremiah Nakathila (2021) and Robson Conceição (2022) were seen as capable yet not elite-level threats in their divisions. While Stevenson dominated these fights, many felt the matchups lacked the fireworks expected from a future pound-for-pound star.

Shakur Stevenson might be open to tough fights—but not when the real battle is over paychecks instead of punches. 

Shakur Stevenson likely to reject Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing over UFC-style pay structure

Dana White, the figurehead of the UFC empire, is preparing to launch Zuffa Boxing, a league that promises to inject the UFC’s gritty, high-output model into the boxing world. But not every champion is ready to ride the wave. WBC lightweight titleholder Shakur Stevenson is already expressing major reservations—particularly when it comes to how fighters are expected to be paid.

Stevenson, who is currently set to face William Zepeda on July 12, recently appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show and didn’t mince words when asked about joining White’s new venture. “I like Dana. Dana is a great guy,” he said with a polite nod, but quickly followed with a hard jab: “Just pay me. I’m not trying to get a pay cut. I know these guys are trying to bring the pay back down. I’m not with that.”

His hesitation isn’t unfounded. According to a leaked blueprint reported by Boxing Scene, unranked Zuffa boxers could expect around $20,000, while even title challengers might earn just $375,000—a fraction of what top-level boxers are accustomed to. Stevenson’s reaction to the UFC’s “show and win” model was blunt and absolute: “No.” He emphasized that fighters shouldn’t be paid less after already commanding higher purses elsewhere, adding, “You can’t bring somebody… give somebody a certain amount of money, and bring them back down… I disagree with that.”