# Shakur Stevenson and Gary Antuanne Russell unification talks > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/shakur-stevenson-and-gary-antuanne-russell-unification-talks > Updated: 2026-10-02T22:51:31.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 2. Negotiations for a super lightweight unification bout between Shakur Stevenson and WBA champion Gary Antuanne Russell have progressed through several stages of discussion. Initially, Stevenson pursued the matchup following a public callout, with reports indicating that Zuffa Boxing contacted the PBC to make an offer. During this period, Tim Bradley retracted previous claims that Russell was ‘ducking’ Stevenson, suggesting the delay might be a strategic business decision. As discussions continued, Stevenson signed a promotional deal with Zuffa Boxing following a victory over Teofimo Lopez. Russell addressed the status of the fight on social media, denying claims that he was avoiding the matchup and instead characterizing recent offers as “lowball” attempts. Russell asserted, “Shakur knows for a fact that we ain’t ducking nothing.” While Russell remains a primary candidate for Stevenson’s next fight, other contenders including Raymond Muratalla and Jose Valenzuela have also been noted in relation to Stevenson’s schedule. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-02: Shakur Stevenson and Gary Antuanne Russell revisit unification fight talks Shakur Stevenson and Gary Antuanne Russell are revisiting negotiations for a super-lightweight unification fight, though Russell claims current financial offers are insufficient. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/shakur-stevenson-and-gary-antuanne-russell-revisit-unification-fight-talks ### 2026-09-28: Shakur Stevenson pursues unification bout with Gary Antuanne Russell Shakur Stevenson is pursuing a super lightweight unification fight with Gary Antuanne Russell as negotiations continue between camps and Zuffa Boxing. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/shakur-stevenson-linked-to-gary-antuanne-russell-unification-bout --- Cite as: Shakur Stevenson and Gary Antuanne Russell unification talks. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/shakur-stevenson-and-gary-antuanne-russell-unification-talks