The professional boxing industry is experiencing a restructuring of its commercial landscape with the incorporation of active athletes into new promotional projects.

In this sense, the American boxer Shakur Stevenson entered into a multi-fight alliance with the promoter Zuffa Boxing, a company run by businessman Dana White.

The agreement was announced this Thursday through the company's official dissemination platforms, confirming the arrival of one of the undefeated athletes who currently holds championships to this new consortium.

The unification objectives and the goals of the undefeated

The signing of the contract places the Newark athlete in a negotiating position to agree on pay-per-view matches in the short term.

For Shakur Stevenson, this decision represents an opportunity to define his sporting status in the face of opposition from the upper divisions.

In this regard, the fighter stated in the official press release issued by the promoter his planning within the company: "Put them in line, one by one, and I will beat them all when I have them in front of me. With Zuffa Boxing I am going after the most important fights in the sport and I will become the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world."

The status of belts and traditional divisions

The star's move to Dana White's company raises questions about the fate of his World Boxing Organization super lightweight world championship.

Currently, the promoter does not have classifications for the so-called intermediate categories, which makes it difficult to regularly defend the 140-pound crown. Shakur Stevenson's situation appears to be a scenario similar to that of Richardson Hitchins, who renounced his International Boxing Federation belt after signing with the same commercial brand, or that of Jai Opetaia, who lost his official recognition after fighting under this promotional format.

The panorama of the big welterweight cards

Analysis from the promotional companies suggests that the return to regular activity for the 29-year-old boxer could focus directly on the 147-pound category.

Shakur Stevenson's entry into the promotion occurs a year after registering his last official weigh-in at the 135-pound limit, when he obtained a victory against the Mexican William “Camarón” Zepeda in the month of July.

The management of the promoter seeks to form a base of competitors to facilitate unified fights without depending on traditional sanctioning bodies.

The growth of the promoter and future rivals

The incorporation of the four-time world champion expands the list of athletes who have decided to separate themselves from the traditional promotional firms in the discipline market. With the signing of this contract, the undefeated man joins boxers such as Conor Benn, Edgar Berlanga and Jai Opetaia as members of the company.

While the details of the regulatory weight and the date for his official debut are defined, Shakur Stevenson's advisors continue analyzing commercial proposals to schedule an eventual confrontation against Devin Haney or look for opportunities against other monarchs of the division.