Is Shakur Stevenson avoiding a real challenge? Why he's overlooking KO specialist Jadier Herrera

Shakur Stevensonis in no rush to fight Jadier Herrera. The unbeaten WBC lightweight champion made that clear when he responded to Herrera's callout by saying he's only interested in fighting "big names."

That might sound like a fair stance for a rising star, but boxing fans aren't buying it. Herrera, an undefeated 22-year-old southpaw with a knockout-heavy record, just put on a brutal performance last weekend in Liverpool, stopping Enrique Enriquez in the seventh round. And he wants Stevenson next.

At 5'11" with serious power in both hands, Herrera presents a much bigger challenge than some of Stevenson's recent opponents. Yet, instead of engaging with the callout, Stevenson dismissed him outright-prompting speculation that he's avoiding the fight.

A flashback to the Robeisy Ramirez loss?

For some fans, Stevenson's hesitation has a familiar ring to it. Back in the 2016 Olympics, he suffered a tough loss to Cuba's Robeisy Ramirez, a skilled southpaw who pressured and outworked him. Stevenson left the ring emotional, struggling to process the defeat.

Now, another Cuban southpaw is knocking on his door-one who fights aggressively and has real knockout power. Some can't help but wonder: does Herrera remind Stevenson too much of that painful Olympic moment?

Boxing analyst Dan Rafael weighed in, saying, "Stevenson has been in with great fighters, but his worst loss was to a Cuban. If there's any hesitation, you can understand why."

Is Stevenson's 'big names only' rule selective?

Stevenson's reasoning for ing on Herrera is that he only wants major fights. But if that's the case, why was he willing to face relatively unknown British fighter Josh Padley, a part-time electrician with limited power?

His recent run at lightweight includes names like Artem Harutyunyan and Edwin De Los Santos-both solid, but hardly the superstars Stevenson claims to be focused on. So when a dangerous young contender calls him out, why the reluctance?

Herrera isn't holding back: "Send me the contract"

While Stevenson stays quiet about the fight, Herrera isn't. Speaking to Boxing News, he made it clear he's ready:

"Maybe the next fight is in Saudi Arabia. I'm ready for the people. My next opponent may be Shakur Stevenson. I don't know. Send me the contract. I'm 100% ready."

Herrera's not just confident-he's calling Stevenson's style into question, too. He sees himself as the more dangerous fighter:

"He just wants to score points, but I hit to knock out. Send me the contract. I'm not here to play. I will kill you. Don't play with me."

Will the fight happen?

For now, Stevenson doesn't seem interested. His focus appears to be on bigger names, possibly Devin Haney, Gervonta Davis, or a unification bout.

But boxing is unpredictable. If Herrera keeps knocking opponents out, Stevenson might not be able to ignore him forever. And if he does take the fight, it could be his toughest test yet.