“I’d rather get a big check and go spend some money on some property or something,” Stevenson said. “Belts are cool. They’re good to place in your office and put them up to look good for people that come see them.”
The position is familiar. His mentor, Terence Crawford, took a similar stance during a dispute with the WBC after failing to pay a sanctioning fee following his win over Canelo Alvarez. The belt became secondary. The dispute was about money.
Stevenson’s recent career choices follow the same logic. He froze his WBC lightweight title and moved to 140 pounds to pursue a fight with Teofimo Lopez for the WBO belt. The upside there is obvious. Bigger money. Bigger exposure.
Remaining at 135 would have meant defending against fighters like Andy Cruz or Jadier Herrera. Those fights carry danger. They offer little financial reward. Stevenson did not spell that out. His move said enough.
Asked about Lopez’s claim that he could land punches while blindfolded, Stevenson answered without humor.
“Depend on who I’m in front of,” he said. “There are some fighters out there with no defense at all.”
None of this is hidden. Stevenson is open about what he values and how he operates. When champions take this approach, mandatories slide and contenders wait. The structure bends toward leverage instead of order.
Stevenson is doing what the current structure allows. As long as the biggest checks come without mandatory risk, fighters will keep making the same choice.
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