Jadier Herrera Calls Out Shakur Stevenson: ‘Stop Running, Send The Contract!’

Jadier Herrera (16-0, 14 KOs) called out WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson today, demanding he “send a contract” for them to fight. Herrera, 22, told Shakur to stop “running, I’m coming for you.

(Credit: Queensberry)

Herrera is ranked #10 WBC, and was recently passed over in favor of the electrician Josh Padley for Shakur’s fight last month on the Riyadh card on February 22nd. That was a clear example of a duck job by Stevenson and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, opting for the feather-fisted Padley rather than Jadier. They flat out ducked Herrera and it came back to bite them in the backside when Shakur struggled to defeat Padley.

If he had chosen Herrera, he would have looked heroic, trying to avoid the huge bombs that he’d be dropping on him all night. It likely wouldn’t have ended well for Shakur, but at least he’d have shown some courage before getting taken out. The last time Stevenson lost was to a Cuban in the 2016 Olympics when Robeisy Ramirez beat him, leaving him crying afterwards. Jadier is a more powerful version of Robeisy.

“Stop Running”

Dev Sahni: “If that is Shakur Stevenson there watching, I wonder. Do you have a message there for the future?” Sahni asked Queensberry about lightweight contender Jadier Herrera’s interest in challenging WBC 135-lb champion Shakur Stevenson.

Jadier Herrera: “Listen, don’t run anymore. Send me a contract. The time is coming. Send me a contract. I’m coming for you. The time is coming. Don’t run anymore. I’m here. I know the people. My name is Herrera. I’m coming for you. Send me a contract, okay? I wait for my time. Listen, Shakur. Send me a contract. Let’s fight. I’m not here to play.”

Herrera was one of the fighters being considered for Stevenson after his originally scheduled opponent, Floyd Schofield, pulled out of the event with a sudden illness. Rather than choose the talented Cuban, Jadier Herrera, Shakur and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, played it safe, using the light-hitting Padley, which was an awful fight. Shakur looked terrible beating a guy with no power that lasted longer than he should have given his marginal ability.

Herrera is fighting Jose Macias Enriquez (21-3-2, 8 KOs) in a 10-round fight this Saturday, March 15th on the undercard of Nick Ball vs. TJ Doheny event at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England.

Glass Hands Risk

I hate to say it but Jadier is all wrong for Shakur, and it’s understandable why he and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, have been avoiding him like the plague. The Cuban has one-punch power in either hand, and the size to give Stevenson massive problems.

Shakur’s glass hands would put him at the mercy of Herrera because to have any chance against him,  Herrera cuts off the ring too well, and would trap the Newark native into a brawl.