Shakur Stevenson Says He'll Retire at Surprisingly Young Age

Ring Magazine's No. 3-ranked pound-for-pound fighter admits the end could be near

WBO and 'The Ring' super lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson. | IMAGO / Torsten Helmke

Shakur Stevenson does not plan to be an active boxer for too much longer.

Despite dominating four weight classes en route to a pristine 25-0 record, Stevenson fully intends to be nearing the end of his athletic career. When reflecting on Terence Crawford's Hall of Fame-worthy run, Stevenson admitted that the only part of his close friend's tenure that he would change is its duration.

Shakur Stevenson opens up on retirement timeline

"I don't want to be boxing as long as [Crawford] did, with all due respect to him," Stevenson said, via Ring Magazine. "He boxed until 38 years old, and I want to be done at maybe like 33."

Retired at 33? 😳

Shakur Stevenson opens up on his future plans while discussing Terence Crawford's retirement 👀 pic.twitter.com/CVUN6wKjIj

— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) June 21, 2026

Crawford announced his retirement at the end of 2025, just a few months after beating Canelo Alvarez to conquer five divisions, including three as the undisputed champion. 'Bud' hung up his gloves as the unanimous No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer with a 42-0 professional record.

Retiring at 33 would mean the 28-year-old Stevenson only plans to hang around for five more years before calling it a career. Stevenson is already one of just 25 fighters to become a champion in four weight classes in the four-belt era.

Stevenson has a long way to catch up to Crawford's legacy, but he is well on his way to establishing himself as one of the best boxers of the current generation. With his dominant win over Teofimo Lopez in January, the New York native moved up to No. 3 in the Ring Magazine pound-for-pound rankings, only trailing longtime staples Naoya Inoue and Oleksandr Usyk.

Shakur Stevenson opening all options for next fight

WBO and 'The Ring' super lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson | IMAGO / Torsten Helmke

Since beating Lopez, Stevenson's future fight options have entirely opened up. He has since been linked to Conor Benn, O'Shaquie Foster, Ryan Garcia and Gervonta 'Tank' Davis.

Stevenson has expressed interest in seeking undisputed status at 140 pounds while continuing to entertain potential fights with champions in other divisions. Stevenson has engaged in multiple in-ring face-offs with Benn and Foster, among others, while constantly igniting flames on social media.

The constant chatter makes it nearly impossible to predict Stevenson's next fight as he chases more glory. Stevenson is clearly enjoying the embarrassment of riches and views his multiple rivalries as a net positive.

"ALL ROADS LEAD TO SHAKUR," Stevenson tweeted. "Remember when they said I need these guys? Now who needs who?"

ALL ROADS LEAD TO SHAKUR 👑 Remember when they said I need these guys now who needs who? https://t.co/uYxcfjWvEP

— Shakur Stevenson (@ShakurStevenson) June 20, 2026

Regardless of opponent, Stevenson's next fight appears destined to be at 140 pounds. He previously expressed interest in returning to 135 pounds after fighting Lopez, but that ship sailed when the WBC stripped him of his lightweight title.