Shakur Stevenson says he has been released from Zuffa Boxing and is now a free agent

Shakur Stevenson says he is no longer with Zuffa Boxing. In a video posted on his YouTube channel on Monday, October 19, the unbeaten WBO junior welterweight champion said he asked for a release from the Dana White-led promotion and that the request was granted over the weekend. "I am officially a free agent," Stevenson said. He shared the video on X under the headline "SHAKUR SECURES RELEASE FROM ZUFFA".

The Ring also reported on X that Stevenson has announced his release from his promotional contract with Zuffa Boxing, noting that he has not fought for the promotion since he signed in July. Zuffa Boxing and Dana White had not commented publicly at the time of writing.

What Stevenson said

Stevenson said he spent about eight weeks in camp "preparing for fights that I was told was going to happen", and those fights did not happen. He did not blame anyone.

"It is what it is. This is the business of boxing. I'm not mad at anyone. I'm not pointing no fingers," he said. "But upon all of these issues and things that's been going on, I requested to be released from Zuffa Boxing. Now, over the weekend, my request has been granted."

He said he is starting his own promotional company. He is also open to working with other promoters and networks. "I am now taking my career in my own hands and I'm starting my own promotional company, and I'm willing to work with other promoters and anybody else that's out there that's willing to be serious about my career as I am about my career," Stevenson said. Later in the video he added: "I'm open for co-promoting and working with any of the networks."

He said his goal has not changed: "I want the biggest and best fights available at 135 pounds or 140 pounds where I hold my title." A move to welterweight will come later, he said. "Give it maybe a year or two, we will get to 147 where everybody is pressing me to just be a 147-pounder. I will get there, but on my time." He also repeated that he should be "number one pound for pound", and told a rival: "You're a hell of a fighter, but gotta get out my way." The name is not clearly audible in the video. Some fan accounts reported the line as a message to Naoya Inoue.

Stevenson told fans to get news about him from his own channel rather than from other accounts.

A short stay at Zuffa

Zuffa Boxing, the boxing promotion backed by TKO and Saudi Arabia's Sela, signed Stevenson in July. Dana White told ESPN's SportsCenter that it was a "multiyear, multifight deal", MMA Junkie reported. White called Stevenson "one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world" in a statement to ESPN. When he signed, Stevenson said he wanted Devin Haney or Gervonta Davis.

Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs) has not fought since he beat Teofimo Lopez on January 31 to win the WBO title at 140 pounds. A planned fight with Haney fell apart last week. BoxingScene reported on October 16 that the two camps had been targeting November 28 in Atlanta at a 145-pound catchweight, then split, with each side blaming the other over the weight. Haney is now expected to face IBF welterweight champion Liam Paro instead, officials told BoxingScene. Dan Rafael then reported, citing sources, that Zuffa's plan was for Stevenson to fight on January 23 at the Prudential Center in his hometown of Newark. That card was never officially announced.

This is not the first time Stevenson has talked about promoting himself. After his Top Rank contract ended in 2024, he told ESPN that he wanted to "start my own promotional company" and do short-term deals with promoters. He then signed with Matchroom.

What's next

• Stevenson has not named a next opponent, date or broadcaster.
• WBC 140-pound champion Dalton Smith has said he wants to unify with Stevenson. Smith defends against Alberto Puello in Sheffield on Saturday, October 24, The Ring reported.
• It is not known whether Zuffa's planned January 23 date in Newark will go ahead in any form.