Shakur Stevenson, the 19-year-old boxer who brought a silver medal home to Newark after his breakthrough performance at the Rio Olympics, has moved one step closer to launching his professional career.
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He has signed with Top Rank Boxing and chairman Bob Arum, a move that surprised some in the industry but positions him to join a long list of American stars in the sport.
“Honestly, I just look at their record and how they create superstars,” Stevenson said in a phone interview on Friday. “Floyd (Mayweather). Terence Crawford. Miguel Cotto. I’m trying to follow in the same footsteps.
Stevenson had previously announced that light heavyweight champion Andre Ward, a 2004 Olympic gold medalist who also had become his mentor during his amateur career, will serve as his co-manager along with James Prince and Josh Dubin.
That raises the next big question: When will he make his pro debut? Arum hinted at April fight, and while Stevenson said he would leave the details to his new team, he made it clear he was anxious to get back into the ring for the first time since losing a narrow decision in the gold-medal bout.
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“I’ve been taking a break and enjoying life away from the ring,” he said. “But now I’m ready.”
Stevenson was a hot commodity among promoters. Arum even compared the 19-year-old fighter to Sugar Ray Leonard, the Hall of Fame great that he also once promoted.
“I think this kid will be the next big superstar, the next big American superstar, and that’s why so many people were chasing him,” Arum told Yahoo! Sports. “He’s that good. Our people haven’t been as high on a guy we have signed in quite a while. He’s only 19 and he’s mind-boggling as a fighter and he has a wonderful personality and a great smile.”
Top Rank already is using his Jersey Roots to identify him. On the company’s website, the news was introduced like this: “He’s from Newark, so you know the dude can fight. Meet the latest Olympian from the 2016 game to sign with us — silver medalist Shakur Stevenson.”
Stevenson will joins another bantamweight fighter from Rio, Michael Conlan of Northern Ireland, on the Top Rank team. He said that Top Rank officials talked about building up to a high-profile bout between the two Olympians a few years down the road.
He also relishes the opportunity to get a rematch with the man who narrowly defeated him in Rio, Robeisy Ramirez of Cuba.
“Man, I’m praying he gets away from Cuba and into America because I want to beat him up and then we can have a third fight to settle it,” Stevenson said. “And then we can be friends because he handled (winning gold) with class.”
That might happen down the road. Even if it doesn’t, it’s clear that Stevenson is ready to begin his pro career now.
Steve Politi may be reached at spoliti@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevePoliti. Find Steve on Facebook.
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