Shakur Stevenson’s eagerly anticipated debut with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing has hit a significant setback. The 27-year-old lightweight champion, who recently won the vacant WBC Lightweight World Title against Edwin De Los Santos and successfully defended it against Artem Harutyunyan, was set to fight former super-featherweight world champion Joe Cordina on October 12. This bout was scheduled as part of the undercard for the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

However, Stevenson has sustained a hand injury, forcing the postponement of the fight. According to a statement from Matchroom, “Due to a hand injury sustained by Shakur Stevenson, he is unable to compete against Joe Cordina on the Bivol-Beterbiev undercard at the upcoming Riyadh Season event on October 12. The WBC World Lightweight Champion has undergone immediate surgery. After a successful period of recovery, Stevenson is set to return to the ring in early 2025.”

Eddie Hearn revealed that Stevenson tore a tendon in his knuckle during sparring. This injury follows previous issues with his hands, including during the Harutyunyan fight.

Stevenson, who recently left Top Rank after a long-term contract, had outlined a hit list including Cordina, number one contender William Zepeda, and a potential unification bout against Gervonta Davis. It remains unclear if the fight against Cordina will be rescheduled or if other plans will take precedence.

Known for his impressive skills and elusive defensive style, Stevenson remains one of the sport’s top talents. Despite criticism for his safety-first approach, he has assured fans that he will deliver standout performances against top competition once he returns to the ring.