Shakur Stevenson walks away from Zuffa Boxing without a single fight

Shakur Stevenson is done with Zuffa Boxing, and he never had a single fight for them.

The unbeaten star announced on his YouTube channel on Monday, October 19, that he asked to be released from his contract. Zuffa agreed over the weekend.

"I requested to be released from Zuffa Boxing, and over the weekend, my request was granted," Stevenson said. "I'm officially a free agent."

ONLY THREE MONTHS

Dana White's promotion signed Stevenson in July. It was called the biggest signing in Zuffa Boxing's short history. White said at the time that he had paid Stevenson "a sh*tload of money."

But no fight was ever announced. Stevenson says he spent about eight weeks in camp for fights that never happened. Even so, he kept it calm: "I'm not mad at anyone or pointing any fingers."

THE HANEY FIGHT FELL APART

The fight everyone wanted was Stevenson vs Devin Haney. It never got close. Stevenson says the weight kept moving, from 144 to 145 pounds, and then Haney's side asked for 147. Haney tells a different story. He says he agreed to 145, that Stevenson went quiet for days and then tried to add a rehydration clause, and that six months of talks were wasted.

WHAT'S NEXT

Stevenson is starting his own promotional company and says he is open to working with any promoter or network. He wants "the biggest fights available at 135 pounds or 140 pounds, where I hold my title." Welterweight can wait a year or two.

That points to a 140-pound unification with WBA champion Gary Antuanne Russell. He has also called out Naoya Inoue.

His last fight was in January, a win over Teofimo Lopez at Madison Square Garden for the WBO super lightweight title. He is 25-0.

WHAT IT MEANS FOR ZUFFA

It is a big blow for the new promotion. Losing a pound-for-pound name before he even fought for them is not a good look. Zuffa still has stars like Jai Opetaia and Conor Benn, but questions about its spending and matchmaking are now getting louder.