Shakur Stevenson wants to move up in weight to face Teofimo Lopez. The WBC world lightweight champion has set his sights on the super-lightweight division and its WBO titleholder.
Stevenson, 28, from Newark, New Jersey, has remained unbeaten in his 24 professional fights. He's won world titles at featherweight and super-featherweight before claiming the lightweight crown. His recent victory came on July 12, 2023, when he defended his WBC lightweight title against William Zepeda at Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York City.
After beating Zepeda by unanimous decision, Stevenson took to social media to call out Lopez. He wrote:
"I seen you say you want to fight me Teofimo Lopez, so what's stopping it from happening next and this ain't no bluff. Let's make boxing great again Lil Teo."
Lopez, the 27-year-old WBO super-lightweight champion from Brooklyn, has been on a roll lately. He's racked up six straight wins, including a victory over Arnold Barboza Jr in May 2023 at Times Square. That fight marked his third successful defense of the WBO world title.
Stevenson's challenge comes at an interesting time in both fighters' careers. While Stevenson has dominated at lightweight, Lopez has been making waves in the 140-pound division since moving up after his loss to George Kambosos Jr four years ago.
If the fight happens, it'll be at super-lightweight. Stevenson hasn't mentioned any obstacles to making the bout, suggesting he's ready to jump up in weight to face Lopez.
This potential matchup has got fans talking. Both fighters are young, in their prime, and have impressive records. A clash between these two American champions could be a huge draw for boxing fans and potentially set up the winner for even bigger fights down the line.
