The institutional landscape of professional boxing registers a new confrontation due to the administration of world championships and the collection of administrative fees. The former 135-pound monarch, Shakur Stevenson, detailed the reasons that caused the loss of his official recognition by the World Boxing Council (WBC). The administrative dispute transcended the offices of the representatives after learning of the economic demands linked to the lawsuits in different categories.

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During a participation in the audiovisual program All the Smoke Fight, hosted by former boxer Andre Ward, the American athlete linked the recent decisions of the managers with differences outside his own camp.

“I felt like they were trying to rob me, but the truth is that I think their problem is more with Bud, because this didn't happen and they didn't tell us until they started having problems with Bud Crawford,” Shakur Stevenson declared before Andre Ward's microphones.

In the same intervention, the fighter directly questioned the main leader of the entity by adding: "why do you take out your problems with Bud on me? I just don't respect him."

Arguments about the increase in penalty rates

The root of the disagreement lies in the percentages that the organization intended to retain in the promoter's most recent contractual commitments. According to the testimony of the Newark competitor, the electronic notifications sent to his work team reflected disproportionate increases that did not correspond to the previously agreed upon internal regulations.

The boxer detailed the figures requested for his last appearances in the ring, specifying the differences between the title fights and the unification fights. "I would say the WBC wanted triple what I paid for my fight with Zepeda. After the fight, you have to pay the penalty fees, so I paid them," Shakur Stevenson explained when describing the sequence of payments that led to the loss of the lightweight belt.

The process of withdrawing from the world belt was accelerated during preparation for a subsequent commitment in a higher division, where the recognitions of the aforementioned organization were not at stake. "Then, for the fight against Teófimo, they tried to triple them. Basically, they didn't stop sending emails to my team, but I already knew in advance that they were going to take the title away from me," Shakur Stevenson argued about the lack of timely agreements due to camp times.

Position regarding the loss of official recognition

The resolution of the boxing entity did not alter the sports planning of the athlete, who stated that he prefers to maintain a firm position in the face of what he considers irregular collection practices. The technical justification of its legal team is based on the fact that mandatory payments must be directed exclusively to the organizations that directly protect the event in dispute.

The regulations of the unifications establish that the charges must be related to the titles at stake in the corresponding evening. "I didn't care because I know that, at the end of the day, this is not right. That's why I want to be on the right side and I'm not going to pay anyone that much money if it has nothing to do with my fight. This is a WBO-sanctioned fight between Teo and me, in a different weight class, so why would I pay them?" Shakur Stevenson concluded in his conversation with Andre Ward.

Current events find Shakur Stevenson coordinating his next steps on international broadcast billboards without the obligation to wear the green and gold insignia. His team's negotiations focus on making high-view matchups with fighters under the protection of other organized boxing associations.