Boxing superstar Shakur Stevenson recently generated considerable buzz after a video surfaced showing him training alongside Floyd Mayweather. Fans immediately began speculating about his next opponent before an entirely different combat sports crossover unexpectedly dominated the conversation. The Ring and WBO lightweight champion surprisingly traded the boxing ring for the grappling mats.

UFC flyweight Vanessa Demopoulos recently posted a series of Instagram photographs showing her teaching grappling techniques to the undefeated boxer.

“@shakurstevenson Respect The Champ 😤 🏆,” read Demopoulos’ Instagram post. “Came to have some fun and learn some new tricks Grappling. Much respect that someone who’s at the Top of the Boxing world came to have fun in the “gentle art.” 🥊💎🥋

While it lacks details as to when and where the session took place, her comments center around the catch-up she had with Stevenson. Known for his defensive skills, Stevenson is arguably considered one of the most technically skilled boxers in the world.

Yet, for all his boxing talents, Stevenson, like many, seems to possess only working knowledge about mixed martial arts or, more specifically, grappling forms such as wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. In contrast, his close friend and mentor, Terence Crawford, is known for his grappling prowess.

Coming from a family of wrestlers, Crawford has often shown that he can take down a person with ease.

Besides the fact that he could be trying his hand in grappling for pure fun, Stevenson may also have wanted to see if he could learn some tricks to tap out an opponent if punches fail to do the job.

In that context, a more plausible reason, as the recent training video with Mayweather suggests, is that Stevenson could be trying to get stronger, where he expects to rescue himself from tough clinching positions against opponents who could be much stronger than he is.

While the photos on Demopoulos’ post showed Stevenson smiling and enjoying the session, they stand in contrast to the session rival Ryan Garcia allegedly had. Reports suggested the WBC welterweight champion, who had previously called out Stevenson and is now set for a title defense against Conor Benn, allegedly gave up any hopes of an MMA career after he was submitted in a jiu-jitsu session by a fighter not considered elite.

Fans, in the meantime, had plenty of fun, watching Stevenson being taken through the intricacies of BJJ.

Shakur Stevenson gets his grappling on, fans have their say

“Let’s goooo, Shakur, my favorite boxer learning how to wrestle 🔥🔥,” one user wrote. Another added, “This just makes him that much stronger! @shakurstevenson is gonna be damn near impossible to beat in and around his weight class.”

While subjective, the comment likely centers around a point Stevenson is frequently blamed for – his power. With only 11 out of his 25 wins ending inside the distance, Stevenson is often criticized for being overly defensive, resulting in a style that has been described by many as “boring.”

“We need more boxers to enter the MMA realm the way MMA fighters have started boxing. This is sick,” another fan stated. That sentiment points to a fact that has become increasingly noticeable.

Beyond James Toney’s famous foray into the MMA world, the instances of boxers stepping into the octagon remain relatively rare. The reverse, meanwhile, an active or former MMA fighter crossing over to boxing, remains quite common. Though it could be argued that the one-sided move has more to do with money than a lack of skill.

“I’ve never seen someone having the time of their life getting subbed multiple times until today 😂,” one user wrote.

Meanwhile, even Stevenson’s appearance came under scrutiny. “Dude still got the socks on. 😂 That’s how you know he doesn’t grapple!” one fan teased, highlighting a major difference between boxing and MMA. Boxers are required to wear shoes and socks. But given the nature of sport, where full-body usage is permitted, wearing shoes makes it dangerous in MMA.

The same goes for the camp as well, since training barefoot gives a fighter a feel for a real fight and an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses.

With Stevenson wearing socks throughout the session, it suggests that it was just a lighthearted session.

Notably, Vanessa Demopoulos is known to have such sessions with prominent figures from the fighting world and the internet. Last year, footage showed her grappling with IShowSpeed, eventually forcing him into submission.

So taken together, Stevenson’s appearance should be read along similar lines. Just a fun-filled session. Nothing serious to be drawn from it.