Shakur Stevenson has made his position clear. He is looking for the most lucrative fight available, and he believes Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz qualifies on name recognition alone. That move says more about where Stevenson sees his career heading than about the competitive logic of the matchup itself.
Stevenson pointed to Cruz’s popularity with casual fans, arguing that some believe Cruz’s pressure style could trouble him. In the same breath, he dismissed the fight as routine. That contradiction is the problem. If the opponent is marketed as dangerous to sell the bout but privately treated as easy work, the result is usually a fight built on hype rather than risk.
Coming off a wide unanimous decision win over Teofimo Lopez for the WBO title at 140 pounds, Stevenson’s bar has changed. ‘Pitbull’ Cruz does not clear it. A 12 round majority draw against Lamont Roach Jr. in December exposed the limits of the “Pitbull” pressure. Once the aggression was contained, there was no secondary answer. For an elite defensive technician like Shakur Stevenson, contained aggression leaves very little to solve.
The decision to stay north is no longer a choice but a settled reality. Following the WBC’s announcement this past Wednesday to strip Stevenson of his lightweight title, the bridge back to 135 has been burned, leaving him fully committed to the 140 pound landscape where Cruz is currently campaigning.
The timing is important. Stevenson has now fully shifted into the light welterweight market, leaving behind any remaining leverage at 135 and narrowing his focus to fights that justify the move financially.
Cruz carries a recognizable nickname and a loyal following, but recent results do not suggest the kind of threat that forces adaptation or risk.
Money First, Risk Second
Stevenson is stuck in a situation where famous opponents bring the money but limited heat, while the dangerous fights build a legacy without the guaranteed payday. Picking the easy name might be a safe business move, but it risks another lopsided masterclass that lacks any real sense of danger. Ultimately, it leaves fans wondering what the point was in the first place.
“It’s about who is the most lucrative,” Stevenson said to Cigar Talk. “The ones that are the most lucrative are the guys I’m going to fight.” The honesty is refreshing. The direction it points to is harder to defend.
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Last Updated on 02/07/2026
