In a nearly decade-old career, Shakur Stevenson claimed titles in three divisions. He has yet to suffer a loss. Still, he found himself facing a barrage of criticisms. Fans and pundits never shied away from taking potshots at his fighting style. Even the most recent fight, where he knocked out Josh Padley, failed to convince them. However, things seem to have changed dramatically. His outstanding performance at the Louis Armstrong Stadium turned the tables on the skeptics.

Over 12 rounds, Shakur Stevenson delivered a boxing clinic, surpassing the formidable William Zepeda in his third title defense. It’s been two years since Stevenson became a lightweight champion. But it took the Zepeda fight to finally persuade critics—ignore him at your peril. Still, many rate the emphatic victory a harbinger of more daunting challenges. It’s been just a few hours since the match ended. But already questions about his next outing have started to emerge. The emphatic victory may have strengthened his claims for a title unification against Gervonta Davis. Stevenson has been calling out his lightweight colleague for long. Or is he willing to face someone else? In the post-fight press conference, Stevenson had to make his intentions clear.

Congratulating him for the latest triumph, a reporter from Mexico asked Shakur Stevenson, “After this victory, who’s next?” It looked as if the champion was lost in thought. Though he soon gathered his bearings, Stevenson could barely hide his frustration at being asked the same question again and again.

“Who’s next? I told y’all who I want to fight. I can’t keep saying the same thing,” he replied. As far as Stevenson’s concerned, he has already shared who he wants to fight next. “I want the best versus the best. That should be my next fight. I told y’all I’m a dog. I’m a top-level elite fighter. So let’s make boxing great again. Let’s put the best fighters in the ring with each other, and let’s see who comes out victorious.”

Though he may not have taken the name explicitly, most fans probably know the fight Shakur Stevenson wants the most. In the 135-pound division, there’s only one name that dazzles alongside Stevenson’s: Gervonta Davis. It’s been some time since Stevenson started calling out the Baltimorean.

But the lightweight phenomenon has thus far remained non-committal to the mouthwatering matchup. Now add in his personal troubles, and the fate of the lineup against Stevenson appears quite distant.

The field in front of Shakur Stevenson

Shakur Stevenson has often been a target of Gervonta Davis’s mockery. “What has Shakur done in a sport?” he once replied when a reporter probed for a matchup. “He’s (Shakur) done nothing,” he stated, claiming there were fighters way better than Stevenson.

Putting aside his taunts, Davis seems to have run into a patch of trouble. His title defense against Lamont Roach Jr. ended controversially, earning him scathing criticisms across the board. On the personal front, several outlets recently reported that law enforcement arrested Tank Davis on battery charges. Thus, the fate of the much-anticipated Roach Jr. rematch or a potential matchup against Shakur Stevenson now hangs in the balance.

While Keyshawn Davis has been stripped of his WBO title, Raymond Muratalla found himself elevated as IBF champion after Vasyl Lomachenko announced his retirement. So if Gervonta Davis fails to make it, a lineup with Muratalla appears the best alternative for Shakur Stevenson to unify the division.

So what do you think? If Tank Davis doesn’t get there, should Stevenson take on Muratalla or move up a division?