Shakur Stevenson Leaves Zuffa Boxing: Timeline of His Dana White Deal and the Latest Statements
By Real Combat Media Boxing Editorial Staff
Las Vegas, Nevada, (October 19th, 2026)–Shakur Stevenson is no longer a Zuffa Boxing fighter. The unbeaten four-division champion said Monday in a video on his YouTube channel that he asked Dana White’s promotion for his release and that it was granted over the weekend, roughly three months after he signed a multi-fight deal and without ever fighting on a Zuffa card. Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs), who holds the WBO junior welterweight title, now says he is starting his own promotional company. Here is the full history of the relationship and the latest statements from both sides and the boxing world.
What Stevenson Said
In the video, Stevenson said he spent about eight weeks in camp preparing for fights he was told were coming that never materialized. He stressed that he is not blaming anyone, then said, “I requested to be released from Zuffa Boxing.” He called himself a free agent, said he is taking his career into his own hands by launching a promotional company, and said he is willing to work with other promoters and networks. On the fights he wants, Stevenson said he is focused on 135 and 140 pounds for now and will eventually move to welterweight, saying “Give me a year or two and I will get to 147.”
How the Relationship Started
Stevenson began his career with Top Rank, signed with Matchroom in 2024 and last fought on January 31, when he beat Teofimo Lopez by unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden for the WBO junior welterweight title. Zuffa Boxing, the promotion White launched with backing from Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh, held its first events in January and quickly went shopping for stars, with Conor Benn leaving Matchroom for the promotion in February. After Jai Opetaia won Zuffa’s first title in March, White was asked whether Stevenson and Oleksandr Usyk were on his target list. He said he was going to sign everybody.
On July 9, Zuffa announced a multi-year, multi-fight deal with Stevenson. Terms were not disclosed, though reports put the money in the eight-figure range. White called it “a massive signing for Zuffa Boxing,” and the deal was expected to let Stevenson fight on Paramount+ shows as well as Ring Magazine and Riyadh Season events. Days later, Stevenson said in an interview that he had verbally agreed to fight Devin Haney in his Zuffa debut and that the promotion wanted the fight. Haney instead signed with DAZN. Stevenson also publicly ruled out fighting Zuffa lightweight Jose Valenzuela, the promotion’s most obvious in-house option. At a July post-fight press conference, White said he expected Stevenson back before the end of the year but had no opponent to announce, telling reporters, “I would have announced it already.”
Why the Fights Never Happened
According to Uncrowned, a unification with WBA junior welterweight champion Gary Antuanne Russell was explored but the money did not line up, and a mandatory defense against Raymond Muratalla proved unworkable. Zuffa also tried to place Stevenson on the Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua undercard, potentially against Manny Pacquiao, but that stalled over money as well. That left Haney. With Haney under contract to DAZN, Zuffa was prepared to let the fight air on that network.
On October 8, Stevenson publicly accepted a 145-pound catchweight with Haney. About a week later, talks fell apart on social media, with both fighters blaming each other over the weight and a rehydration clause. Uncrowned reported, citing sources, that Stevenson wanted around $15 million for Haney, and reporter Sean Zittel claimed he sought the same figure to fight Valenzuela against a $7 million offer. Neither number has been confirmed by either side. According to Dan Rafael, Zuffa then put a hold on January 23 at Prudential Center in Newark with Valenzuela as the Plan B opponent, but Stevenson wanted a bigger name. Days later, he asked for his release.
Zuffa’s Response
Zuffa has not issued a public statement, and White has not addressed the exit publicly in the coverage RCM reviewed. Zuffa did speak to Rafael, acknowledging that it granted the release. According to Rafael, Stevenson’s contract listed specific opponents with purses attached, some of them welterweights, including Haney. Zuffa told Rafael it wanted to make super fights for Stevenson and was willing to let the Haney fight air on DAZN pay-per-view instead of Paramount+, but that the deal died because Stevenson did not want to go up to 147 pounds yet. Stevenson’s version is that he waited in camp for fights he was told were coming. No settlement, release fee or restrictions have been disclosed.
Reaction
Eddie Hearn, who promoted Stevenson at Matchroom and has feuded with White all year, said on iFL TV that he first thought the news was a publicity stunt because it was “so bad, so embarrassing, so humiliating for Zuffa.” He turned White’s earlier pledge that Zuffa should be judged on its body of work back on him, saying the promotion made history by signing a fighter and never giving him a fight, while also crediting Stevenson’s team for getting out. Hearn is a direct rival of White. Reaction elsewhere was split. Longtime matchmaker Rick Glaser backed Zuffa, calling the decision to let Stevenson go prudent and saying he would not have shown as much patience, while broadcaster Ade Oladipo called it a bad look for the promotion.
What’s Next
Stevenson says he plans to defend his WBO junior welterweight title before moving up in weight and remains open to working with any promoter or network. Uncrowned’s analysis points to DAZN as the logical landing spot, since most of his targets, including Haney, Ryan Garcia and Russell, fight on that platform. It also reported that DAZN made Stevenson a direct offer over the summer that he described as very similar to Zuffa’s. For Zuffa, the exit leaves a high-profile hole in a roster that still includes Jai Opetaia, Conor Benn, Richardson Hitchins, Edgar Berlanga and Valenzuela. RCM will update this story as new statements come in.
Watch
Shakur Stevenson Announces His Release From Zuffa Boxing (Video via Shakur Stevenson YouTube)
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