Teofimo Lopez thinks Vasiliy Lomachenko will beat Shakur Stevenson in a potential lightweight clash. The former Lomachenko opponent shared his prediction in a recent interview.
Lopez, who defeated Lomachenko in 2020, weighed in on the possible matchup between the two skillful fighters. Lomachenko, the 36-year-old Ukrainian and current IBF Lightweight Champion, might face WBC titleholder Stevenson in what boxing fans consider a highly technical bout.
The two champions ran into each other in Los Angeles recently, adding fuel to the fire of a potential fight. Lomachenko and Stevenson both hold lightweight titles, setting the stage for an intriguing unification bout.
When asked about the potential matchup, Lopez told ES News:
"Loma beats Shakur? Yeah."
Lopez didn't stop there. In a separate interview with Cigar Talk, he shared his thoughts on Stevenson:
"Shakur is a very talented, skilful, technique fighter. Can't take anything away from that. However, he's scared to get hit. Scared to get knocked out in front of the world. Scared to get touched up in front of the world."
Lomachenko currently enjoys his second stint as a lightweight titlist. He lost his unified belts to Lopez in 2020 but has since bounced back. The Ukrainian won't fight for the rest of the year but has made it clear he's not retiring.
On the other hand, Stevenson faces criticism for his less entertaining approach to fights. He'll likely defend his title against William Zepeda next, who's the number one contender.
Lopez's victory over Lomachenko in 2020 shook up the lightweight division, and now he's playing the role of predictor. Meanwhile, Stevenson has his own plans involving promoter Turki Alalshikh, which might influence his next move in the division.
