'Let's go right now' – Vasyl Lomachenko and Shakur Stevenson separated by security after heated altercation at Terence Crawford fight

04/08/2024 12:43

Tensions boiled over as Vasyl Lomachenko and Shakur Stevenson came face to face on Saturday night.

The lightweight world champions were ringside to watch Terence Crawford defeat Israil Madrimov via unanimous decision at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles and got into a shouting match before the main event.

Video footage shows both men having to be separated by security as they exchanged verbal jabs.

Lomachenko could be heard shouting ‘Let’s go right now, outside”, while Stevenson fired back ‘You’re bluffing’.

Lomachenko is the current IBF title holder at 135lbs, while Stevenson has the WBC belt.

Bob Arum was aiming to make a unification clash between the pair when they were both promoted by Top Rank.

But talks have dimmed since Stevenson entered free agency in July.

Stevenson revealed that the altercation had been sparked by him calling out the Ukrainian at ringside.

“He a p**** once again. He got tough outside the ring and I told him ‘Let’s set a fight up’,” he told assembled media as he was filtered into Crawford’s dressing room.

“I would love to make the fight but it doesn’t look like he wants to fight me, he just wants to fake it outside of the ring.”

Lomachenko was deep in negotiations to face WBA champion, Gervonta Davis in November.

However, the 36-year-old has opted to take some time out of boxing and won’t return to the ring until 2025.

“Loma is not in the mood right now,” Lomachenko’s manager Egis Klimas told boxing reporter Steve Kim.

“He doesn’t have the motivation at the moment. He’s taking time off, he wants to spend more time with the family.

“He doesn’t want to do anything until the end of the year. So he’s definitely not coming to the ring until the end of the year.”

Davis’ team declared their interest in fighting Stevenson instead but the Newmark technician told reporters on Saturday night that he is yet to receive an offer from ‘Tank’.

It seems more likely that a fight between Stevenson and WBC No.1 contender William Zepeda will be made next, with Saudi boxing chief His Excellency Turki Alalshikh stating his intentions to make that fight next.

“I want to see Shakur vs Zepeda. He [Shakur] accepted Oscar De La Hoya (Zepeda’s promoter) accepted, Eddie [Hearn] accepted, let’s do it.”