Shakur Stevenson Blames His Idol Floyd Mayweather for Modern-Era Boxing’s Biggest Problem

“God only made one thing perfect: my boxing record,” Floyd Mayweather once said about his undefeated record. It has been eight years since the 50-0 former champion retired.

Active in the exhibition circuit, he’s now set to face Mike Tyson in a spring friendly exhibition bout next year. Yet the buzz of the Olympian’s scintillating achievements, which defined the first two decades of this century, still reverberates. Many eulogize his achievements.

Still, underscoring a renewed narrative, Mayweather’s quest to stay unbeaten may have done more harm to boxing.

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During an interview, legendary ring commentator Jim Gray highlighted how Floyd Mayweather‘s focus on staying undefeated potentially ‘ruined’ the sport. In the past, boxers like Muhammad Ali or Sugar Ray Leonard, at the top of their game, fought the very best, sometimes climbing up multiple weight classes. They weren’t afraid of losing. Today, many fighters appear to stay in a safe lane. They avoid risks. They fear a loss might hurt their record or cost them future titles and payouts. Many believe Mayweather influenced that mindset. Even some of his fans seem to embrace this narrative.

Floyd Mayweather was the undefeated strategist, but…

The latest episode of ‘The Arena‘ featured Shakur Stevenson. After his sensational win over William Zepeda, where many compared him to Floyd Mayweather, Stevenson appears to be in talks for a super fight with Teofimo Lopez in 2026. Speaking on boxing greatness and the current era, he sharply critiqued some fighters. “I feel like guys in this generation are scared to put it all on the line,” he remarked. The point invariably had one of the hosts asking, “Do you think the fact that Floyd made his O such a big thing over time that that became the thing in the sport?”

The WBC lightweight champion acknowledged the influence. Almost everyone knows how Mayweather changed how fighters view the sport. “Everybody wants to be undefeated,” Shakur Stevenson said. “People are scared to take chances. They would rather go fight a bigger notoriety fight than fight a guy that’s the best guy.”

Instead of facing the top fighter, many focus on popularity and its perks, Stevenson claimed. “So, Floyd definitely changed that when he went undefeated and talked the way he talked and did everything that he did. He changed the sport of boxing.”

Call out, but do look closer

Speaking with Shannon Sharpe and Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson, the veteran commentator, who turns 66 in November, observed, “Floyd Mayweather ruined this sport.” His statement was not personal. He is friends with Mayweather. Yet, like Stevenson, Gray felt, “The only thing that mattered was the zero.”

Now Jim Gray’s comments come from decades of observing fighters at ringside. But Shakur Stevenson’s claims may surprise some. Fans still watch clips of him training with Mayweather. Stevenson has also said in interviews that the former world champion mentored him.

Perhaps the narrative that Mayweather started the trend of protecting one’s record requires deeper thought. No fighter likes defeat. There is no denying that Mayweather faced some of the era’s biggest names. He was 36 when he fought 23-year-old Canelo.

Many times, defeat almost struck, but Mayweather turned the tables on his opponents.