Top Rank signs Shakur Stevenson

Top Rank announced they have signed Olympic Silver Medal winner to a promotional deal.

“I love the kid. The kid is a delight to be with,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum told ESPN shortly after Stevenson signed his contract at the company’s Las Vegas offices. “He’s charming, he’s got charisma, he’s intelligent. And we know he’s talented. He’s the whole package, and he’s extraordinarily mature for a 19-year-old kid. My matchmakers say he’s a major, major boxing talent, and I feel I can judge whether he has charisma and marketability and I believe he does.

“I think this kid can be the next American superstar. He’s still learning and he’s still growing, but he’s got everything. His power will develop. He’s already very fast. This kid has the ability to be like another Sugar Ray Leonard.”

“I just wanted to work with some of the best in business and I know Top Rank creates superstars, from Oscar to Floyd to Cotto. They’ve created a bunch of superstars,” Stevenson told ESPN. “I wanted the route where I am made into a superstar and take over the sport of boxing. I signed with Top Rank because of what they’ve done in the business. They have a proven track record.

“I am super excited and can’t wait to get a date for my debut and get moving. I’m ready to take over the world.”

“He’s a nice, polite kid and we’re going to market him the way he is — as a good kid, the way Sugar Ray Leonard was marketed,” said Arum, who will co-promote Stevenson with the low-profile Antonio Leonard. “James is a smart person and they realized nobody could develop this kid into a superstar like we can.”

Arum said Stevenson’s professional debut will take place in April.

“It’s so obvious,” Arum said. “It would make terrific programming. If HBO is interested, they can ask us.”

“I could get in the ring tomorrow. I feel ready to go tomorrow if I have to,” he said. “I want the fans to enjoy my style. I got a style where I box smart, I can punch, I got real good defense. I just want them to be excited when I get in the ring. I want to be the Michael Jackson of boxing. I want to sell out arenas.”

“I’m only 19. I don’t turn 20 until June 28 and I’m still growing, so I can probably get up to 140 or 147 pounds eventually,” Stevenson said. “First, I’m taking over 126 and then I’ll move up from there. But I’m not in a rush to be in a world title fight in my second or third fight like Lomachenko. I don’t want to move too slow but not too fast, but I’m ready for anything they come up with. They tell me they want me to fight 12 rounds in my pro debut, I’m with it. I am in good hands.”

op Rank president Todd duBoef said that with the signing of Stevenson, the company inked all three of its top targets from Rio.

“I rely on my matchmakers’ eyes for ability, and Stevenson was at the tippy, tippy top of their list,” he said. “He was the special fighter. Ability-wise he was in a class almost of his own. A brilliant fighter. I can go back to my emails to my matchmakers (Bruce Trampler and Brad ‘Abdul’ Goodman) during the Olympics. There were three guys — Shakur, Conlan and Conceicao — we wanted the most. These were the big targets on our list and we’re very happy we were able to secure all of them.”

Arum envisions an eventual showdown between Stevenson and Conlan, who turns pro on March 17, as a huge fight in a few years.

“My goal five years from now is to have this era’s Sugar Ray Leonard-Thomas Hearns fight when Stevenson fights Conlan,” Arum said. “Conlan got robbed in the Olympics and didn’t fight Stevenson. Now they’ll fight as pros and make real money. I love thinking about fights like that. Here I am at 85, I’m an old fart. But I sign these young kids and they’ll keep me ticking for a long time. I’m not going to die until I develop these kids.”