"Proving them haters wrong", "He really poured it on late" - Fans react as Shakur Stevenson taunts crowd after 9th-round stoppage of Josh Padley

Shakur Stevenson is a polarizing figure in the boxing world. Just hours ago, he TKO'd a game Josh Padley, but was still the recipient of boos from fans in attendance. In response, Stevenson climbed the corner of the ring and taunted the crowd, leading to a mixed reaction from fans on X/Twitter.

It was a one-sided performance from Stevenson, who faced moments of difficulty against Padley after seemingly injuring his left hand. Nevertheless, his investment in the body shots he battered Padley with paid dividends in round 9, during which he dropped Padley thrice for the win.

Check out Shakur Stevenson taunting the crowd in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia:

It was a good performance from Stevenson in a fight he couldn't afford to lose given that Padley, a boxer who is nowhere near his level, stepped in on extremely short notice.

However, it wasn't the fact that Stevenson scored his first stoppage since 2023 that got fans on social media talking. Instead, it was him climbing the corner and goading the surrounding crowd into booing him even more.

"I love @ShakurStevenson proving them haters wrong"

Some fans praised the urgency Stevenson showed late in the fight.

"He really poured it on late in that fight"

Not every comment was positive though, with some predicting that the heavy-handed Gervonta 'Tank' Davis, to whom he is often compared, would beat him.

"Shakur would get SMASHED by Tank"

Another fan mentioned Davis in a mocking post aimed at Stevenson.

"@ShakurStevenson acting like he beat Tank or somebody"

A collage of fan reactions can be seen below:

Fan reactions to Shakur Stevenson's taunts

Much of the dismissal from fans stems from the fact that Padley had replaced Floyd Schofield, who fell ill and was forced to withdraw from the matchup. While many felt Stevenson would have still beaten Schofield, Padley was a significant step down in competition.

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Shakur Stevenson is now 23-0

Shakur Stevenson's record remains spotless, and his win over Josh Padley earned him his 11th career stoppage. Moreover, he has now defended his WBC lightweight title twice and will likely face Floyd Schofield next.

However, there is only one fight that boxing fans want for Stevenson.

His rivalry with fellow unbeaten lightweight star Gervonta Davis has taken on a life of its own. Both men have claimed to be the best boxer between featherweight and lightweight, but a matchup has been difficult to book, with Davis frequently dismissing Stevenson as not having earned his attention.