Stevenson needs new opponent after Martin ultimately declines the fight

Shortly after it appeared that we had the fight set, Frank Martin apparently decided against it.

Only days after it was reported that lightweights Shakur Stevenson and Frank Martin agreed to terms for a vacant title fight, which canceled a planned WBC purse bid, it seems the fight was not to be after all.

ESPN’s Mike Coppinger is citing his sources which indicate that Frank Martin ultimately decided to pass on the fight, refusing to sign the official contract once Top Rank sent it over to finalize the bout. Coppinger would also quote Top Rank spokesperson Evan Korn, who had this to say on the ultimate breakdown of the fight.

“Shakur Stevenson is willing to fight anybody in and around his weight class. The fact that so many fighters have turned down the challenge is a testament to his greatness. It’s disappointing that the fans will be deprived of such a highly anticipated matchup.”

Martin was supposedly set to make in excess of one million dollars for the bout, according to Chris Mannix, but will apparently now look to take his career in another direction. Martin wasn’t much of a chance in this proposed matchup by most analysts and it clearly seems that he wasn’t confident in his own chances either, given this development.