Earlier this month, Shakur Stevenson delivered a career-best performance to squash all the criticism around him. The Newark native stepped into the ‘Ring III’ event with something to prove: that his fights can be interesting. And after enduring the punishment for 12 whole rounds with poise and precision, he delivered on that promise.

The victory not only revealed a new dimension to his skills but also firmly cemented his status as the top guy in the lightweight division. Instead of passively awaiting challengers like others, Shakur Stevenson has taken a proactive stance, recently unveiling his list of targeted opponents. Clearly, the WBC champion has no intention of slowing down anytime soon.

Shakur Stevenson’s 3-Man Hit-List

Recently, the 28-year-old appeared on an episode of Nightcap with Unc & Ocho alongside NFL stars Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson. During the interview, Sharpe hailed Stevenson’s performance against Zepeda as one of the best, prompting the Newark native to call out his desired opponents. “Call the a** out, Shakur,” he said. Well, the 28-year-old isn’t someone to shy away from a challenge and has always taken the first steps. He continued the trend by immediately calling out Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach Jr. ” I’ll take Tank, Lamont,” he said. Well, this is nothing new. Shakur Stevenson has been eyeing a clash against ‘Tank’ for years now. Furthermore, with the upcoming Davis-Roach rematch in jeopardy, he has even offered to step in.

While these two choices were rather obvious, it was his third pick that raised eyebrows. “I like Andy Cruz,” the 28-year-old said, revealing his hit list. Cruz, the Cuban boxer, made his professional debut just two years ago but has been on a tear. Recently, Shakur Stevenson even hailed Cruz as the only lightweight with a ring IQ close to his. However, it is too soon to judge.

The WBC champion justified his choice as the best in this division. “I am a competitor. So I like best fights…most competitive fights. I think those three are the most competitive guys,” he concluded with Shannon and Johnson nodding in agreement. So, there you have it. A definitive list by one of the best currently. And while these are the three names on top of the 28-year-old’s list, there is another rivalry brewing that promises an electrifying clash.

An unexpected entry

Right after the ‘Ring III’ event, Stevenson appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show alongside Conor Benn. The duo quickly got into a heated exchange, with ‘The Destroyer’ taking the first shot. While the Brit enjoyed the Zepeda clash, he claimed that all of Sugar’s previous fights were boring.

The Newark native immediately reverted. “No, people like watching me fight. People [who] study boxing love watching me fight,” he responded, forcing Benn to troll him even more. The back-and-forth continued with the 28-0 finally responding with a brutal one-liner putting Benn in check. “All I’m saying is, we get in the ring, there’s gonna be a big skill gap,” he said, establishing himself as the far superior.

Currently, Conor Benn’s rematch against Chris Eubank Jr. is in jeopardy with the latter’s team hesitating due to weight restrictions. If the fight falls apart, Benn is ready to face the WBC lightweight champion. “We can do the [Stevenson] fight next,” he said on the interview, with even ‘The Sugar’ ready for it. “I’m down… But don’t go fighting Eubank and take a lot of punishment, and after I beat you, say, ‘I had two wars with Chris Eubank Jr,” he said.

As things stand, while Shakur Stevenson is ready to face the best, his plans depend on a lot of variables. It will be hugely interesting to see where the WBC lightweight champion ends up. Because no matter what, he will always choose the best fights. What do you think?