Ernesto “Tito” Mercado is baffled by Shakur Stevenson’s demand for WBO welterweight king Devin Haney to drop down to 144 pounds, especially given Stevenson’s openness to competing at the standard 147-pound limit against others.
According to Mercado, Stevenson possesses the physical stature required to step up and face Haney at welterweight without insisting on a catchweight. He highlighted that Shakur has shown no hesitation in targeting Conor Benn at 147, raising questions about why he refuses to show the same flexibility for Haney.
“In my opinion, he does an excessive amount of talking,” Mercado remarked during an interview with Fighthype. “Shakur isn’t exactly tiny, either. If he is going to make all these statements regarding Devin, he ought to step up to the heavier division. Given that he discussed squaring off with Conor Benn at the full 147-pound limit, I fail to see the issue with doing the same against Devin.”
Even though Shakur continues to press for a catchweight, Haney holds the WBO welterweight crown at 147 pounds. There is virtually no incentive for the champion to shed an extra three pounds to accommodate a challenger who is migrating to his weight class.
Mercado further associated Shakur with Keyshawn Davis, suggesting that both athletes are quick to issue public callouts but seem to overcomplicate negotiations once their potential opponents actually agree to the matchup.
“To me, both Keyshawn and Shakur talk a big game, and on occasion, they get in over their heads,” commented Mercado. “On the other hand, Devin stands out as one of the few boxers out there who is genuinely ready to call out their bluffs.”
Ultimately, Mercado’s perspective puts the ball in Shakur’s court. Should Haney remain firm on staying at 147 pounds, Stevenson will either have to accept the challenge under the champion’s terms or move on to a different adversary.
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Last Updated on 2026/08/07 at 12:14 AM
