Gary Antuanne Russell confirms Shakur Stevenson talks but disputes reported $2m offer

Gary Antuanne Russell has confirmed talks over a super-lightweight unification fight with Shakur Stevenson, but insists his team did not receive the reported $2 million offer.

Russell, the WBA champion, told FightHype that he has spoken directly with Stevenson and believes the WBO title-holder genuinely wants the fight. He said, however, that the financial terms discussed by Stevenson’s representatives have not reflected the value of a contest between two champions. Russell added that $2 million would not be enough even if that figure had been offered.

His brother, former WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr, separately told FightHype that negotiations were “110%” under way. Both brothers distinguished between Stevenson’s willingness to face Russell and whether those conducting the negotiations can agree an acceptable purse.

The latest talks emerged after Stevenson was linked with a fight against Manny Pacquiao on the December 11 Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua card in Cardiff. Zuffa Boxing chief Dana White dismissed the proposed match-up as “not true” at Saturday’s press conference and said he did not know where the reports had originated.

Dan Rafael reported around the same time that Zuffa had contacted PBC with an offer for Russell. Stevenson then addressed the WBA champion publicly, writing: “Gary Antuanne Russell let’s unify.”

A fight between Stevenson and Russell had already been considered earlier in the year. Gary Russell Jr said his side initially attempted to make the bout before Stevenson’s team chose another direction.

In July, Stevenson named Russell as a possible opponent if a fight with Devin Haney could not be secured, describing him as “a hell of a fighter”. According to Russell’s team, discussions followed before the match-up was put aside.

Stevenson has been looking for his first opponent since signing with Zuffa Boxing during the summer. The unbeaten 29-year-old won the WBO super-lightweight title from Teofimo Lopez in January but has yet to finalise his next fight after being linked with Haney, Pacquiao and other leading names.

Russell offers a direct route to a second title at 140lbs. The Washington fighter took the WBA belt from Jose Valenzuela in March 2025 and has since defended it against Andy Hiraoka. A fight with Stevenson would therefore put the WBA and WBO championships on the line.

The pair have also sparred in the past. Russell believes both men have developed sufficiently since then for the fight to make sense professionally, and views a victory over Stevenson as part of his plan to collect titles at super-lightweight before eventually moving up to welterweight.

Russell’s team remains actively involved in negotiations. Both sides have indicated that the fighters want the unification, leaving the financial terms as the principal issue still to be resolved.