Stevenson shared this news on X. He said, "Lamont was getting ready for the rematch, so he'll have a transitional fight and then face me early in the year. But that will only be if Teo doesn't take the fight."
The champ's got options. If he fights Lopez, he'll move up from 135 to 140 pounds. But Roach is ready and waiting at lightweight. Roach holds the WBA world title at 130 pounds and ranks 4th among top super featherweight contenders.
Roach was all set for a rematch with Gervonta Davis. They fought to a majority draw on March 1 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Davis used his rematch clause, but then legal problems got in the way. The fight never happened.
Now, Davis has other plans. He's taking on Jake Paul in an exhibition bout on November 14 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Netflix will show the fight.
This left Roach without an opponent. That's where Stevenson comes in. He's riding high after a big win over William Zepeda on July 12 in New York. Judges gave him every round.
"It was one of the two best victories in my career," Stevenson said after the fight.
That win put Stevenson at the top of the lightweight rankings. He's now number nine on the pound-for-pound list too.
Stevenson's got a perfect record of 24 wins with 11 KOs. He's a three-time world champ and won silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics. At just 26, he's already got eight years of pro experience under his belt.
Roach isn't far behind with 25 wins, 10 KOs, 1 loss, and 2 draws. He's eager to get back in the ring after the Davis fight fell through.
We'll have to wait and see if Stevenson picks Lopez or Roach. Either way, fans are in for a treat when the champ steps back in the ring.