Shakur Stevenson enjoys having structure, especially when it comes to his boxing career.

With Josh Padley officially out of the way, Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs) was excited about what was next. William Zepeda was someone he anxiously wanted to get his hands on but a fight with Gervonta Davis was the crown jewel. Now, however, that gem isn’t as pristine and dirt-free as it once was.

Just a few short days ago, Davis (30-0-1, 28 KOs) struggled immensely against Lamont Roach. The power that normally bails him out of tough spots failed him as Roach fought a picture-perfect fight. Although he didn’t formally get the win, Roach wasn't handed a loss either as he settled for a majority decision draw.

Davis’ record isn’t as perfect as it once was but Stevenson would still love to share the ring with him. If that fight continues to elude him though, he could turn his attention toward Roach instead.

“I may ask for Lamont,” said Stevenson during an interview with Cigar Talk. “I’m real cool with Lamont, I’ve known Lamont for years and years. What he just did was amazing to see. He put on a great performance.”

If you weren’t a close friend or family member of Roach, chances are, you weren’t giving him much of a shot. Stevenson, on the other hand, knew exactly who he was and went on record stating that Roach would be far more difficult than most realized. In fact, before outclassing Oscar Valdez back in 2022, Roach was Stevenson’s primary sparring partner.

That first-hand experience, along with what he recently accomplished against a consensus pound-for-pound star like Davis, has Stevenson singing Roach’s praises. But, superlatives aside, the current WBC lightweight champ stopped short of calling him a difficult fight for himself. Does he love and respect Roach’s abilities? Without question. But does he believe he would stand a chance against him? Absolutely not.

“I would love to show that I’m levels above him too.”