Eddie Hearn has been a leading boxing promoter for the best part of a decade, working closely with some of the world’s biggest and brightest stars.
Anthony Joshua and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez are among the many fighters he’s represented, but the Matchroom Boxing boss classes neither as the most talented to grace his stable.
Rather, he sees Shakur Stevenson and Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis – two bona fide pound-for-pound stars – as being the most gifted operators he’s had the pleasure to promote.
And yet, with both Americans on an upwards trajectory towards boxing greatness, Eddie Hearn believes he knows which one has more God-given strings to his bow.
Eddie Hearn claims that Shakur Stevenson is the most talented fighter he’s promoted
WBC world lightweight champion Stevenson signed a multi-fight deal with Hearn shortly after his split from Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum and Top Rank.
However, after sustaining an injury ahead of his clash with former world champion Joe Cordina on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol, the 27-year-old is still yet to make his Matchroom Boxing debut.
Nevertheless, Hearn believes that he has seen enough from the southpaw slickster to know that he has hold of something special.
And while Ennis, and indeed WBC world super flyweight champion Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, are undoubtedly two of his most promising fighters, it seems as though Stevenson just has that X factor in the eyes of his promoter.
“Well, we have only just signed him but I would say, Shakur Stevenson, I think he is unbelievable,” Hearn told talkSPORT, when asked who the most talented fighter he’s promoted is.
“Then you also have the other two pound-for-pound greats in Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and Bam Rodriguez.
“Talent-wise it might be Boots but I’d go with Shakur Stevenson.”
When will Shakur Stevenson vs William Zepeda take place?
While Stevenson is still nursing his hand injury, unbeaten lightweight contender William Zepeda, who’s ranked number one with all four sanctioning bodies, is gearing up for the biggest fight of his career.
“Shakur will go straight into the Zepeda fight, who is his mandatory, around February we will put that on,” Hearn added on talkSPORT.
Before his golden opportunity arrives, though, Zepeda must first take care of business against former world champion Tevin Farmer, who he will face on the undercard of Gilberto Ramirez vs Chris Billam-Smith in November.
But, should he overcome what could be a rather stern test, the 28-year-old will then finally be presented with a long-awaited world title shot.