1 00:00:02,799 --> 00:00:05,759 It's my great pleasure to be joined on our podcast this week by none other 2 00:00:05,799 --> 00:00:09,359 than the WBC Lightweight Champ of the World, chir Course, Stevenson chir Court. 3 00:00:09,359 --> 00:00:11,560 Thank you ver very much for doing this. How you doing, bro? 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:15,560 I'm good, I'm good. I'm good. I'll sit back chicking in. 5 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:19,519 It's my birthday, so off, just stand back, William for the 6 00:00:19,519 --> 00:00:21,719 fight now. I know you got you got ahead of me. I was 7 00:00:21,719 --> 00:00:25,199 gonna say, first off, happy twenty seventh birthday as we tape this on 8 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:29,079 June twenty eighth. I'm sure obviously you've always wanted to spend a part of 9 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:31,960 your birthday being interviewed by me. I know that's a dream come true for 10 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:37,039 you. Probably not, but we're here to talk about your first lightweight title 11 00:00:37,079 --> 00:00:41,600 defense. You'll be taking on Ardam Harttuny in July sixth in the top rank 12 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:46,119 ESPN main event at Prudential Center in your hometown of Newark, New Jersey. 13 00:00:46,719 --> 00:00:50,960 How does a young man spend his twenty seventh birthday while also in training camp 14 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:56,200 a week before their fight. Uh, just chill out, just relaxing. 15 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:03,640 Honestly, birthdays is cool, but it's like I probably wouldn't even be doing 16 00:01:03,679 --> 00:01:07,319 nothing for my birthday anyway, So I just say back, watchpotsaying, and 17 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:12,519 patiently wait for my moment. I got you. So this this is, 18 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,760 like I mentioned, this is gonna take place at the Prudential Center. It's 19 00:01:15,799 --> 00:01:17,920 your hometown. I know it means a lot to you. You know, 20 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:19,719 you wear it on your sleeve. You're always talking about Newark and you've done 21 00:01:19,719 --> 00:01:23,799 a lot of community work in the city and brought a lot of big time 22 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:26,280 boxing matches back there. It's gonna be your third fight there in your last 23 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:30,560 four fights, your fourth overall in that building, Prudential Center. You fought 24 00:01:30,599 --> 00:01:34,359 in Las Vegas, New York, Atlanta, Atlantic City. Well, what 25 00:01:34,439 --> 00:01:37,519 does it mean to you that to have fights in front of your people, 26 00:01:37,519 --> 00:01:42,120 in front of your hometown in that kind of arena. It means everything to 27 00:01:42,159 --> 00:01:45,359 me. Own. I hope that everybody comes out to support. I know 28 00:01:45,439 --> 00:01:52,400 that my promotional company is not trying to promote the fight properly because I'm not. 29 00:01:53,159 --> 00:01:57,000 I had to resign with them, So I just pray that the same 30 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:00,799 people that have been coming out for me keep coming out for me and just 31 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:07,079 show up and enjoy the show. Well, you touched on it when you 32 00:02:07,079 --> 00:02:08,520 say they're not promoting the fight, right, I mean, from my way 33 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:10,639 of looking at as a media person, which is sort of one of the 34 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:15,439 things they promote towards to get media attention. It seems like they have because 35 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:19,599 they've helped set up this interview between you and me to help promote your fight. 36 00:02:19,719 --> 00:02:23,319 So can you tell me what you mean by that? I mean, 37 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:27,319 usually it's just more. You know, I've been working with them for years, 38 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:30,719 so you know, it's not just about the interviews that I'm doing, 39 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:36,560 which I feel as though we've been working for a long time, and it's 40 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:39,759 just more. I ain't gonna get into detail. I ain't. It is 41 00:02:39,759 --> 00:02:43,840 what it is. I ain't chipping on it. I just got to show 42 00:02:43,879 --> 00:02:46,280 up and do my job. So I was gonna get to this a little 43 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:47,680 bit later in the interview, but since you brought up the whole free agency, 44 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:51,800 we'll get to the fight in a minute for sure. But like you 45 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:53,759 said, it is your last fight with your promotion contract with Top Rank. 46 00:02:53,759 --> 00:02:58,240 You've been with him your entire career. Seems to me from the outside looking 47 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:00,719 in, you've done good business together. You've won world championships in three different 48 00:03:00,719 --> 00:03:05,639 weight classes. You've unified titles in one of those weight classes. You've made 49 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:08,639 millions of dollars. They've put on some big fights for you. But now 50 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:13,240 that the free agency is upon you following this matchup, is it all a 51 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:19,439 distraction to you? Nah? I don't really care for honestly, the free 52 00:03:19,439 --> 00:03:23,120 agency and everything where that matters after the fight. Right now, we got 53 00:03:23,159 --> 00:03:29,360 to stay focused on what's what's the ahead of us, and the main thing 54 00:03:29,599 --> 00:03:34,879 is come in and they're prepared and ready to put on the performance. So 55 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:37,960 nah, I don't care for it. It is what it is, not 56 00:03:38,039 --> 00:03:40,159 a dishrection at all. Okay, glad to hear that. As I mentioned, 57 00:03:40,199 --> 00:03:43,960 you have won the titles in the three wheel with three weight classes. 58 00:03:44,159 --> 00:03:50,319 You have beaten some notable opponents Oscar Valdez, Concasyle, Jamel Herring. There 59 00:03:50,319 --> 00:03:53,319 are many people shakor you know this, you see it. They talk about 60 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:55,039 you as being one of the most talented boxers in the whole sport, a 61 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,919 guy that's going to be on that tund for poundless for many years to come. 62 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:01,680 But we got to go back for just a quick minute and look at 63 00:04:01,719 --> 00:04:05,520 your last fight. That's when you won this WBC vacant lightweight title against Edwin 64 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:11,120 de Los Santos in November. You won a decision, but you'd be the 65 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:14,039 first to admit this. I think that was not a good fight for anybody 66 00:04:14,039 --> 00:04:16,279 to watch. He barely threw any punch as he turned one of the most 67 00:04:16,319 --> 00:04:20,680 dismal performances I've ever seen in almost twenty five years of covering boxing. I 68 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:24,160 know you did not seem happy after that fight, even though you got to 69 00:04:24,199 --> 00:04:28,279 win. Were you disappointed? How disappointed were you in the way that fight 70 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:30,839 went, the fan reaction to the fight. I know, I'm sure you're 71 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:32,839 happy you won the title, but what about that other part of it? 72 00:04:34,319 --> 00:04:36,600 The other part of it. It is what it is. At the end 73 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:40,600 of the day, I can't do nothing about it. But at the end 74 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:47,879 of the day, we gotta also take recognition and understand that Dela Tantos is 75 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:56,600 not an easy fight, and hopefully I'm hoping that somebody gives home an opportunity, 76 00:04:58,319 --> 00:05:04,759 because now the world can see that that's not a guy that you just 77 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:10,319 go in there and annihilate, and especially like somebody with me that I got 78 00:05:10,519 --> 00:05:14,680 one hand in the fight. So now I'm fighting this good fighter that has 79 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:21,759 good defensive abilities and got power, and it's a tricky fighter with good skills. 80 00:05:23,439 --> 00:05:28,879 I'm fighting home with one hand. Uh yeah, I was mad at 81 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:33,920 myself, But now that I went back and like rewatched it and understand like 82 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:38,519 everything that was going on, I'm not mad and I'm happy that I can 83 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:43,439 go pull that off on a bad night. And I don't think that there's 84 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:47,120 a lot of fighters that y'all put at the top level that will fight him. 85 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:54,120 We already seen Pitbull CRUs turned him down in a fight. You wonder 86 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:57,959 why he would turn him down. But take a fight with right somebody that 87 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:02,160 Edwin Della Santos knocked out. I think that is just a game that's not 88 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:08,639 really being played fear because I think like the outsiders, they don't understand everything 89 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:13,959 that goes on into like the sport of boxing. But when y'all sit there 90 00:06:13,959 --> 00:06:16,519 and y'all say, oh, y'all didn't like to fight, okay, cool, 91 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:24,079 y'all probably didn't. But it's some people that understand boxing that did like 92 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:26,959 the fighters, and the people that understand boxing that did like to fight. 93 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:31,439 They like chests. It was more so a chess match with two boxers that's 94 00:06:31,519 --> 00:06:39,439 more defensively and one got one hand in there, so now I'm handicapped and 95 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:43,319 making it work. So honestly I feel the stuff. I'm going back on 96 00:06:43,399 --> 00:06:46,839 it. I'm not even mad at the performance no more. I'm mad at 97 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:53,519 the public. I'm more so mad at the public whole. Who I go 98 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:58,120 out there and I'll go perform night at the night, years and years of 99 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:01,120 me putting hands on people and beating people love, and then you have one 100 00:07:01,199 --> 00:07:05,279 off night and then everybody just say fuck you. And if that's how they 101 00:07:05,319 --> 00:07:09,800 feel about me, if it's fuck you to me, it's fuck you to 102 00:07:09,879 --> 00:07:13,319 them too. And people may say, oh, well, these are people 103 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:16,480 who pay money to see you fight and they do this, and okay, 104 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,639 understood. But at the end of the day, I'm a man and if 105 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:24,879 anybody anybody, I don't give a fuck who it is, whether it's money 106 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:29,720 involved or money and not involved. If anybody say fuck me, I'm gonna 107 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:32,079 say fuck them too. So well, that's what it is, and that's 108 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:34,839 I understand where you're coming from. I just uh, for the point though, 109 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:38,120 I don't think people are holding it against you for the rest of your 110 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:41,199 career. I think it's understandable they may have been upset in that one particular 111 00:07:41,279 --> 00:07:43,720 night. But it's not that they don't have any interest in seeing a talent 112 00:07:43,759 --> 00:07:46,879 like your self perform in the future. But you mentioned about being honey, 113 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:49,439 the logic, the logic that they've runned me. Oh, now, now 114 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:54,279 I'm a runner. But how many fights have I stood in the pocket? 115 00:07:54,319 --> 00:07:57,199 No? I get it, I get it. You mentioned this a pocket 116 00:07:57,279 --> 00:08:00,600 fighter. If we're being real, I want to just you said you were 117 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:01,759 a handicap because you had one hand. What was the you had? Was 118 00:08:01,759 --> 00:08:05,439 it a shoulder injury? If I'm not mistaken, No, the shoulder was 119 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:09,879 my right shoulder went fucking. The one hand that I got, I still 120 00:08:09,959 --> 00:08:13,199 was using, but it was the hand was my left hand got you? 121 00:08:13,319 --> 00:08:18,600 Okay, all right, So that that's in the past. I just wanted 122 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:20,199 to get your reaction to that. But now you obviously have this fight coming 123 00:08:20,279 --> 00:08:24,839 up against Hartitunian. Look, you were a twenty sixteen silver medalist in the 124 00:08:24,879 --> 00:08:31,399 Olympics. He was a twenty sixteen UH bronze and bronze medalist in the Olympics 125 00:08:31,399 --> 00:08:33,600 for Germany. You fought in different weight classes. He fought at light welterweight, 126 00:08:33,639 --> 00:08:37,080 about one hundred and forty pounds. You were fighting obviously down in about 127 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:41,000 one hundred and twenty three pounds, so you're in you're in a different division. 128 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:43,840 But were you familiar with him from the amateurs at that time or do 129 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:46,120 you remember seeing him perhaps in the Olympics. Yeah, I seen him. 130 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:52,679 I seen I've seen a fight this tall Cuban kid from Ajibbajan. H No, 131 00:08:52,799 --> 00:08:54,759 he's really from Cuba, but he was training. He went to Ajibajan 132 00:08:54,879 --> 00:09:01,759 see and I wouldn't say he lost, but yeah, I seen him him, 133 00:09:01,799 --> 00:09:03,720 I'll do. So what is your sort of assessment of his abilities and 134 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:07,720 what he brings? Uh, obviously you were separated by a lot of weight 135 00:09:07,799 --> 00:09:09,440 back then. Now you're obviously you know, at the same weight class. 136 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:13,000 But what did you What is your sort of scattering report on Hartitunian. I 137 00:09:13,039 --> 00:09:18,279 think he's a real good, solid fighter. I think that uh he tried 138 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:22,879 to press you, pressure you with his legs, got real good feet where 139 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:28,799 know how to like bag out, got a nice little hot guard. Honestly, 140 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:33,600 I just don't think he sings anything like me. So the one time 141 00:09:33,639 --> 00:09:37,440 he did step up and fight a more recognizable kind of name was a pretty 142 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:39,440 good fight. He had the fight with Frank Martin, who just recently challenged 143 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:45,120 Tank Davis for the WBA lightweight belt and did get knocked out in that fight. 144 00:09:45,159 --> 00:09:48,320 But Frank Martin was able to win a decision against Hartitunian. He did 145 00:09:48,399 --> 00:09:50,840 score a knockdown against him in the in the final round, in the twelfth 146 00:09:50,879 --> 00:09:54,000 round of their fight. Did you see that fight and what did you What 147 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:58,960 was your impressions of Hertitunian's performance in that one time he did step up against 148 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:01,720 a name opponent. Honestly, I thought he was winning the fight. I 149 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:09,240 thought, uh, it was a pickup fight. I still think it was 150 00:10:09,279 --> 00:10:13,279 a case where it should have either been a drawer or I ain't gonnay, 151 00:10:13,279 --> 00:10:16,720 I ain't gonna say or it could have win either. I think that the 152 00:10:16,799 --> 00:10:20,519 problem was he took a knee, because I ain't even gonna say you got 153 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:24,159 knocked down. Let's like we're gonna really I analyzed, like the actual fights. 154 00:10:24,639 --> 00:10:28,600 It wasn't like a punch that Frank Martin hit him with that heard him, 155 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:33,559 or he took a knee. I wanted to say from fatigue, Okay, 156 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:37,440 that's that's kind of what I saw from watching the fight and when he 157 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:43,519 took that knee from fatigue. I think that kind of gained the decision away 158 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:48,519 on being that he's fighting in Dallas or was it Veggies. I believe it 159 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:50,639 was in certainly was not in his home area. Let's put it like that. 160 00:10:50,759 --> 00:10:54,159 I forget what it was. The B side he was, Let's just 161 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:58,240 say he was the B side right from being the B side taking the knee 162 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:01,799 in what the twelfth round? It is the worst thing that you can do, 163 00:11:03,039 --> 00:11:07,759 especially in a fight with it seems like you're ahead, but it's like 164 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:13,559 giving up some moments where Frank is doing his thing too. So honestly a 165 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:18,960 good fighter, I won't take nothing away from home but his lovels. Yeah, 166 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,080 I understand that. I mean, I think if you looked at it 167 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:24,879 and you analyzed your boxing ability compared to is, I would think that you 168 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:26,120 think that. I'm not going to say you think this is an easy fight 169 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:28,799 because he does have that amateur background. He did have a good performance against 170 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:33,159 Frank despite the loss. But you figure that you are just a far superior 171 00:11:33,159 --> 00:11:37,320 boxer to him overall in terms of the way you'll be able to handle and 172 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:41,039 get the win. Yeah, I think that I'm just levels above home and 173 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:46,480 still got to go out there improve it. So on July sixth is the 174 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:50,120 date. That's the day we go out there and show who I am. 175 00:11:50,639 --> 00:11:54,960 I wanted to go back real quickly to your your discussion about your your POTENTI 176 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,279 you know your impending free agency. I've seen some videos or saw some of 177 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:01,519 the commentary from Matt room Box promoter Eddie Hearn. He's talked you up, 178 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:05,759 talked about how great of a young fighter you are. Thinks he said, 179 00:12:05,759 --> 00:12:09,919 he thought you're not being promoted the best, and so I'm sure he'll be 180 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:13,120 a suitor among others when you do hit the free agency, when you do 181 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:16,440 decide where you're going to sign, whatever offers are presented to you, What 182 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:20,639 are you looking for in your next deal in terms of a promoter. Is 183 00:12:20,639 --> 00:12:24,120 it just strictly the money. Is it about the opportunities and who they have 184 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:28,759 that you can make a match for you against. What are you what are 185 00:12:28,759 --> 00:12:31,399 you thinking about in that sense? Or is it something else I didn't mention. 186 00:12:31,799 --> 00:12:35,519 I think big fights is mainly the thing that I'm looking for. I 187 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:39,159 want to be in big fights. Could I want a chance to proose it 188 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:43,879 the word to show who I am as a fighter, but honestly, it's 189 00:12:43,879 --> 00:12:46,720 hard to even think about that kind of stuff with what's going on right now. 190 00:12:46,759 --> 00:12:52,399 And I'm trying to like stay within the moment and focus on Arnum. 191 00:12:52,039 --> 00:12:56,519 So we could talk about it, but it ain't here yet. I mean, 192 00:12:56,639 --> 00:13:00,919 you know, it'll be better interview me at the Artam fight, and 193 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:03,519 they're not no strategically, tell you, well, we can do that. 194 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:07,399 We can definitely get together after this. We can get together after the fight, 195 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:09,960 all right, So I just want to ask you this then. I 196 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:11,879 mean, you know, I know you're very confident in beating Ardam in the 197 00:13:11,919 --> 00:13:16,279 fight on July sixth, uh and so I know, look, this is 198 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:18,159 an important fight because it's a title defense, and obviously your perfect record is 199 00:13:18,159 --> 00:13:20,240 on the line, and anytime you go into a match, it's important. 200 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:24,919 But I don't think anybody looking at this considers that a so called big fight. 201 00:13:24,279 --> 00:13:26,919 So I wonder, from your perspective, what is the big fight? 202 00:13:28,039 --> 00:13:31,039 Like I think? You tell me if I'm wrong. A lot of fans 203 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:35,919 would love to see chakor Stevenson lockhorns with Tank Davis, see you lockhorns with 204 00:13:35,039 --> 00:13:39,799 uh Lomachenko also would be a unification fight. Obviously, there's a lot of 205 00:13:39,799 --> 00:13:43,240 conversations right now that Tank and Lomachenko, their teams are negotiating with each other 206 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:48,200 for a fight later this year. Well, what what what is your big 207 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:56,039 fight is? Yes, sir, he is. To my knowledge, they're 208 00:13:56,080 --> 00:14:01,320 making the Tank Davis Limachenko fight. That's what I reported about. I take 209 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:05,120 it you think that I see you laughing about that. What's uh? You 210 00:14:05,279 --> 00:14:11,240 tell me what you think about that? Uh. I mean, it's business 211 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:13,519 at the end of the day. So I understand it and I get it. 212 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:18,879 But my issue is when you know, guys like saying go and do 213 00:14:20,039 --> 00:14:24,960 interviews and say, oh, I'm on this side, and I'm basically saying 214 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:30,039 that I'm on a certain side and that's why the fight with me can't get 215 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:35,679 done right now, or he says things like that and then doing business with 216 00:14:35,799 --> 00:14:41,840 somebody with Top Ring after saying like they wouldn't do business with Bob Aaron, 217 00:14:41,879 --> 00:14:46,000 and Bob Aaron is the guy holding the fight back. But I mean, 218 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:50,120 clearly they ready to get in business with let me Chenko. So I think 219 00:14:50,159 --> 00:14:52,919 it's just a lot of camp that's been putting out there. Well, it 220 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:54,720 seems to me that you certainly with your fight that you have coming up right 221 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:58,600 now, that you would be in if you win, be in a great 222 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:01,960 position to fight the winner of a potential fight between Tank and Lomachenko. I 223 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:07,480 assume it would interest you know, come on now for sure, But like 224 00:15:07,639 --> 00:15:13,159 I said, we never know until it gets here, so I'm taking things 225 00:15:13,159 --> 00:15:18,279 one step at a time. But I think that people just contradict themselves a 226 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:22,399 lot when they start talking about eth the size of the streets and street signs 227 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:28,639 and all they these kind of things that prevent fights from happening. But clearly 228 00:15:28,799 --> 00:15:33,320 a lot of people is willing to make break and getting business with each other. 229 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:37,960 The winning time is right. Well, you're right about that because Tanking 230 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:39,879 Lomar with different companies, so they are going to work together if they're able 231 00:15:39,919 --> 00:15:43,759 to make the fight. So hopefully that that's good for everybody in boxing, 232 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:46,960 you know yourself and all the other fighters that want to fight other top guys 233 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:52,519 from different companies. But first you got to take on your your challenger and 234 00:15:52,679 --> 00:15:56,320 Artem Cartertonian Shakur. I wish you the best luck in the fight, and 235 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:58,279 I'd like to say happy birthday, my friend. Thank you. Matt