Shakur Stevenson: ‘I’m Not Easy Work’ & The Truth About the Devin Haney Standoff
Shakur Stevenson sits down with Andre Ward on THE ART OF WARD for the third time, and it might be the most unfiltered one yet. Fresh off selling out Madison Square Garden and turning Teofimo Lopez into a one-sided beatdown, the four-division world champ breaks down how he played that fight a thousand times in his head before the first bell, why he’s suddenly boxing’s most wanted (and most clout-chased) name, and the real story behind walking away from his WBC belt.
Shakur goes deep on the Devin Haney standoff and the 144 vs 147 weight tug-of-war, fires back at Bill Haney’s “easy work” claim, sizes up Conor Benn, and guarantees he’d stop any UFC crossover that dares step in the ring, like an Ilia Topuria. He and Dre get into the boxing brain that separates the elite, studying tape vs trusting instincts, and the young fighters and managers Shakur is now building behind the scenes.
Then it gets personal: why fame is a “cold game,” the Floyd Mayweather obsession that genuinely scares him, the J Prince lessons on teaching a man to fish, the O’Shaquie Foster beef, and what going out on top actually looks like.
New episodes of THE ART OF WARD drop on All The Smoke Fight. Like, subscribe, and tell us who Shakur fights next in the comments.
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0:00 – Intro & Sparring Session (Andre Ward & Shakur Stevenson)
3:32 – Breaking Down the Teofimo Lopez Fight
5:28 – Sold Out MSG & Handling the Pressure
6:40 – “I Was Born for This” | Performing Under Bright Lights
8:20 – Corner Advice & Almost Stopping Teo
10:29 – The Post-Fight High | A Month to Come Down
11:44 – Appreciating Teofimo for Making the Fight
12:02 – Making Big Fights Happen Directly (Like Bud & Crawford)
12:55 – Why Everyone Wants to Fight Shakur Now
14:09 – Shakur’s Boxing Brain & Future in Broadcasting
15:17 – The Imagination in the Gym | Envisioning Every Opponent
17:15 – Having a Boxing Mind vs. Just Being Talented
17:54 – Watching Film & Learning from Floyd
19:11 – AD BREAK
22:16 – The WBC Stripping Him of His Belt
26:23 – The Devin Haney Fight | Weight Negotiations & Business Talk
29:28 – Could Haney vs. Stevenson Actually Get Made?
31:47 – Taking Callouts Less Personally | It’s Business Now
34:06 – Conor Benn Situation | What Happened?
34:41 – Assessing Conor Benn as a Fighter
36:49 – Would Shakur Do a UFC Crossover Fight? Ilia Topuria
40:39 – Does Shakur Like Being Famous? (Honest Answer)
45:19 – The J. Prince Relationship | A Real Mentor
47:11 – Managing Fighters
50:33 – How Would You Beat Andre Ward?
51:48 – How Would You Fight Bud Crawford?
52:03 – Floyd Mayweather vs. Sugar Ray Robinson GOAT Debate
54:09 – The State of Boxing Today
55:20 – Biggest Lesson from 9 Years as a Pro
55:47 – What Does the Rest of Shakur’s Career Look Like?
56:31 – Thoughts on Adrien Broner’s Current Lifestyle
58:39 – Floyd Mayweather’s Money Situation & Can’t-Let-Go of Boxing
1:02:42 – Errol Spence Is Back | Thoughts on Spence vs. Tszyu
1:03:45 – Shakur’s Message to O’Shaquie Foster
1:06:07 – “I Don’t Run” | On Character & Integrity
1:07:39 – Going Out on Top | Comparing Ward & Crawford’s Retirements
1:11:21 – Outro
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