Shakur Stevenson’s exits Zuffa Boxing became official before the undefeated boxer even stepped into the ring for the promotion. UFC CEO Dana White has now explained why he granted the former signing his release, insisting that both sides agreed to part ways without any bad blood.
White addressed Stevenson’s departure during the UFC 333 post-fight press conference, revealing that he offered the boxer his release and his team accepted.
“I offered him his release,” White said. “I offered him the release. Listen, I think everybody involved, they’re happy with where we’re at. I have nothing bad to say about him or his team. But I offered them the release and they accepted.”
Stevenson’s signing was one of Zuffa Boxing’s biggest moves since the promotion launched. The undefeated boxer is widely regarded as one of the sport’s best pound-for-pound fighters, and his arrival immediately sparked speculation about a potential showdown with Devin Haney.
However, the proposed fight never materialized, and Stevenson did not compete in any other bout under the promotion before requesting his exit. White, for his part, says the split was mutual and that he has no issues with Stevenson or his team.
“We never even did one fight with the guy,” White said about why he granted the release. “We were in business a couple of months.
“Listen, I’m not going to say anything negatively about him or we tried to do this or we tried to do that. We got to a position where we both agreed we were cool with the release.”
Stevenson also addressed his departure in an announcement video, explaining that some of the fights he wanted never came together. However, he stopped short of blaming Zuffa Boxing for the situation.
Reports suggest Stevenson had hoped to secure a lucrative fight against boxing legend Manny Pacquiao. Instead, he reportedly received offers for two other matchups against less prominent opponents for significantly lower paydays.
Meanwhile, Matchroom Boxing chairman Eddie Hearn recently criticized White for losing one of Zuffa Boxing’s biggest signings before the boxer competed under the promotion’s banner.
