Did Money Kill the Shakur Stevenson-Zepeda Super Fight?

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In a recent X Post, Shakur Steveson blames Turki Alalshikh for not overpaying him to fight William Zepeda. According to Shakur, Turki promised him a boatload of money.

Now, Shakur says Turki went back on his word, accusing Turki of doing what American and non-American promoters do all the time. American fighters who don't sell want a boatload of money for nothing.

Some blame Floyd Mayweather for this. Some say these fighters have become spoiled. Oscar Dela Hoya claims Shakur Stevenson has pulled out of the William Zepeda fight.

The issue is that fighters want to get paid crazy amounts of money for fights they can't sell, especially when the fighter is not a draw. The only North American fighter that's worth big money is Canelo.

Why? Because Canelo is a proven draw. From PPV numbers to live gate numbers. Any North American fighter outside of Canelo doesn't deserve to be overpaid.

These fighters want crazy money for fights that promoters can't recoup. Here's a conversation I had with a boxing insider who's in the know below:

Boxing Insider ⬇️

It's a cluster f**k promoter have done it to themselves. All Promoters have used Turki when it was convenient for them.

PBC used Showtime and shut down boxing by overpaying fighters,

Top Rank was getting 85 million a year from ESPN and has stayed at market value paying fighters making sh*t fights underdelivered on their deal. Shutting down boxing at ESPN at the moment after July makes them no different than anyone else in the game.

I remember Eddie Hearns doing the same thing for a while with Dazn overpaying fighters like Haney, etc.

Then Turki came in as the money guy, paying promoters for their fighters, overpaying them to make the best fights.

Some fans considered Turki God, with 20-dollar PPVs, putting on the best cards in today's boxing.

Then Turki announces his deal with TKO promotions, Nick Khan, and the most hated person in combat sports, Dana White. He is somewhat turning off Promoters from their viewpoint by forming a boxing league.

Meanwhile, Top Rank and PBC have come out saying they will work together now (SMH). They should have been working together all along!!!!!!!

Now Shakur, who bowed to Turki in between rounds in his fight against Paddly, is mad because Turki reneged on the first offer he gave Shakur for a Zepeda fight. (Not sure if it was in writing)

Now Eddie is cutting ties with Turki after Benn-Eubank.

This sh*t is crazy, bruh 🤷🏿‍♂️

Me ⬇️

It's crazy, indeed. My question is: What are the promoters who've worked with Turki going to do now? Which network will Top Rank showcase their fighters on now? If the fighters are upset that they won't be overpaid anymore, what are they going to do?

I say reset the market with the young fighters and let the old fighters fade off and retire.

Boxing Insider ⬇️

The consensus is that all work together so as not to be pushed out by TKO promotions.

Top Rank at the moment has no network deal and is still shopping.

Great questions. I have always said that once Turki stops paying these fighters top dollars, there will be a market reset. They will have to take less to fight major fights or not fight at all. Boxing will be right where it has always been.

However, TKO is scaring traditional boxing promoters. Many are downplaying Dana as he has monopolized MMA and is looking to do the same with boxing. I believe they are going to be here for the long haul, especially if Turki is involved.

Me ⬇️

But TKO boxing 🥊 doesn't have any fighters. How can they take over boxing?

Boxing Insider ⬇️

That purse layout wasn't bad at all, bro. For example, ShuShu is rated #1 and isn't making 750k a fight!

You're right; the product is needed, and many fighters owe Turki. He will want his favors, if you know what I mean. That is one possibility.

Secondly, what is TR going to do with no deal? Fighters need money, especially the up-and-coming guys who want to stay busy.

They can just jump ship, especially if TKO promotions get an ESPN TV deal. The UFC deal is up after December 2025. I think Dana will leverage the UFC for a TKO deal. Take us both, or we are out of here.

Also, TR has the best young fighters, and TKO will more than likely start with a lower level of fighters anyway.

It would make sense for ESPN to keep TR in that case; however, I believe ESPN and Top Ranks' working relationship has tumbled like a bad heterosexual relationship.

Shu-Shu made 200k for Colwell. Most fighters don't make a lot of money. Only the top-tier fighters make real money in boxing. When the PBC was formed, Al Haymon overpaid fighters for fights.

Do you think Shakur will make more money elsewhere for the Zepeda fight?

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