Eddie Hearn wants to work with Shakur Stevenson after the unbeaten champion parted ways with Zuffa Boxing without ever entering the ring for the venture. Matchroom holds viable options at 135 and 140 pounds, yet the most lucrative fight on the board remains Gervonta Davis, which demands an agreement with Premier Boxing Champions.

“We’d love to work with him. He can work with anybody he wants,” Hearn said in an interview with By Hook TV. “He’s one of the best fighters in the world.”

Dalton Smith stands as the most accessible internal option if Stevenson remains at 140 pounds. Hearn handles Smith’s career directly, allowing Matchroom to stage a UK event and bank on strong arena attendance to cover fighter compensation. Andy Cruz represents another route at 135 pounds should Stevenson drop back down. Cruz brings elite technical skill, yet matching two defensive purists creates promotional hurdles regarding broad commercial appeal. Hearn cited neither boxer as a firm candidate.

William Zepeda highlights the strengths and limits of DAZN’s network ecosystem. The streaming service handled Stevenson’s 2025 meeting with the Golden Boy contender, proving cross-promotional business can function smoothly on that feed. Stevenson dominated that encounter by wide unanimous decision, blunting the public appetite for a second run.

Davis presents a much larger commercial target. The Baltimore native headlined on Prime Video via PBC against Lamont Roach, establishing where his primary broadcast loyalties sit. Staging Davis against Stevenson forces Hearn to iron out carriage rights and profit sharing with PBC. A third-party financial backer like Riyadh Season could cover enormous purse guarantees, yet distribution rights would remain a contested negotiation.

The contrast between Smith and Davis exposes modern boxing economics. Hearn can finalize terms with Smith quickly. Still, he has to determine whether live gate numbers and British ticket buyers justify Stevenson’s lofty minimum guarantee. Matchroom absorbs the deficit if the venue fails to sell out. Davis brings bona fide pay-per-view muscle, though Premier Boxing Champions holds broadcast control and will demand most of the revenue pie.

A multi-fight contract gives Stevenson guaranteed ring dates along with locked paydays. A bout-by-bout arrangement lets him hunt massive paydays with complete freedom, but leaves him open to long stretches of inactivity while rivals sort out their own schedules.Waiting months for a marquee rival leaves an elite boxer covering ongoing training costs without incoming revenue.

Hearn labeled Stevenson’s brief run with Zuffa an absolute catastrophe while taking aim at Dana White’s promotional output. The most effective recruiting tool Matchroom possesses is an actionable contract. Smith shows what Hearn can deliver in-house, while Davis proves whether he can overcome stubborn industry boundaries.

Hearn omitting Cruz speaks volumes about Matchroom’s true priorities. Promoting that matchup would be commercial suicide. Cruz versus Stevenson is a purist’s dream, but casual fans run from pure chess matches. Staging it requires massive guarantees for both men with virtually zero pay-per-view upside and a dismal gate outside of a niche venue. DAZN would essentially foot the bill for an expensive technical exhibition that drives no new subscriptions.

Beyond the financials, the matchmaking logic falls apart for Hearn. If he shells out heavy money to sign Stevenson, the objective is cashing in on blockbuster dates or building toward Gervonta Davis. Throwing Stevenson directly in with Cruz risks ruining the asset immediately. Stevenson could easily get outpointed or dragged into an unwatchable snoozer that completely kills his market value.

Even if Stevenson wins, beating Cruz does almost nothing to build his crossover profile. Casuals do not know Cruz, so Stevenson gains little public credit while taking maximum technical risk.

From Hearn’s seat, keeping those two far apart is self-preservation. You protect the newly acquired name with high-visibility, lower-risk domestic dates like Dalton Smith, or you swing for the fences with established commercial giants where the reward justifies the danger. Cruz offers all the poison with none of the prize.