Fans Fear the Worst for Shakur Stevenson as Edgar Berlanga Looks Favorite for Dream Position

WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson got what he wanted—but at what cost? According to a recent report from The Ring, the Newark native is set to defend his title against interim champion William Zepeda on July 12 in New York City. However, it appears that Edgar Berlanga may have walked away with the real prize. 

The 27-year-old knockout artist is reportedly headlining the event in a high-profile clash against undefeated British prospect Hamzah Sheeraz. Also featured on the card, Alberto Puello will defend his WBC junior welterweight title against the hard-hitting Subriel Matias, while David Morrell takes on rising force Imam Khataev. Despite the star-studded lineup, the spotlight seemingly shifting away from Stevenson has left many fans concerned. Has the champion been overshadowed on the card?

Shakur Stevenson confirmed to be in co-main

Recently, renowned boxing journalist Dan Rafael took to social media to share details about the upcoming Berlanga vs. Sheeraz card. When a fan inquired about the main event, Rafael responded, “Berlanga-Sheeraz, per Turki Alalshikh.”

This update follows the brief fallout between Shakur Stevenson and the Saudi royal, sparked by a misunderstanding over financial terms. Stevenson had accused Alalshikh of backing out of a promised payment, but later issued an apology, acknowledging the confusion. 

With tensions resolved, Stevenson is now set to defend his title against Zepeda on the same card. After Stevenson was relegated to the co-main event, Ray Jackson—Gervonta Davis’ most vocal fan—didn’t miss the chance to chime in. 

“I told y’all Shakur is the co-main 🤣🤣,” he wrote, prompting fans to flood the comments and join the conversation.

Fans speculate public apology didn’t help

Since Jackson’s tweet, several people have expressed their thoughts on the matter. One user started riling up Stevenson to take a stand. “Bro, stop taking this disrespect smh @ShakurStevenson you should be the MAIN,” the user wrote. Since Stevenson is getting the money he wants, it’s unlikely he would do anything to mess it up. 

Another user claimed Turki Alalshikh punished Stevenson for the feud. “Ay @Turki_alalshikh funny than a mf….he made shorty apologize then put him on a Berlanga undercard. Wicked,” the user wrote. However, that is just a speculation. 

The next user didn’t seem to mind Stevenson’s position on the card. “Doesn’t matter! He got who he wanted! Y’all cats make too big a deal out of this. He’s still getting paid plenty,” the user commented. Still, this is an indication that Stevenson might not have the sort of selling power as others. 

Someone else seemed frustrated by Berlanga’s main event spot. “Shakur should be the main event. It’s so disrespectful that he’s not,” the user wrote. The interesting part is, Berlanga and Sheeraz aren’t even fighting for a title. 

Meanwhile, this user blamed it on Shakur himself. “That man not PPV STAR he dimmed his light out when he thought he was the ‘BOSS’ emotional dude gon always be his biggest downfall,” the user wrote. 

That said, it appears Shakur Stevenson will have to settle for the co-main event for now. However, the question is, does Berlanga deserve to be in the main fight?