Mike Tyson is one of the fiercest — and most fearsome — boxers ever to set foot in the ring. So a co-sign from him is nothing short of a blessing for up-and-comers.
And that's exactly how Shakur Stevenson must now feel as Iron Mike took to X (formerly Twitter) to sing his praises on Monday, July 14.
"In my opinion, @ShakurStevenson looked the best he ever looked in his last fight," he wrote. "Those masterful combinations and head movements. He’s still young and doing that and he looked superb. And everybody wants him to show people he can take a punch, but the art is hit and not get hit. That’s boxing and that was the best fighter he ever fought. The fight was tough and he beat him with no problem. In the middle of the ring, he was beautiful. I just don’t like when he gets on the ropes for too long."
Tyson was referring to Stevenson’s bout against William Zepeda, who took a serious beating at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Corona, Queens, NY, on Saturday, July 12.
Yahoo Sports was on hand to witness the bout, where Stevenson defeated the previously undefeated Zepeda, a native of Mexico. Speaking to the outlet, Stevenson noted that recent chatter about his alleged "Tom & Jerry" fights from boxing investors had affected his mindset before he stepped into the ring.
"I got hit more than I wanted to, but I put on a performance that the fans liked," Stevenson said. "I fought for the fans, I did what the fans wanted. A lot of people didn't expect that because I've been telling y'all all week that I'm going to fight for myself. I kind of went against what I [said]."
With a new co-sign from Iron Mike, however, the future looks brighter for the rising star.