In a recent interview, Teofimo Lopez, the current WBO super lightweight champion, issued a stark warning to his upcoming opponent, Shakur Stevenson. The two boxing titans are set to collide on January 31st at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City. Lopez, known as ‘The Takeover,’ shared his thoughts on the dynamic between himself and Stevenson, hinting at a long-standing rivalry that traces back to their time as stablemates under Top Rank promotions.
Lopez addressed past comments made by Stevenson, dismissing allegations of jealousy. “He talked about this and that, and how I was jealous of him,” Lopez said. “But he was a 2016 USA silver medallist; he was always going to get his signing bonus and all that extra stuff.” The champion went on to suggest that their paths were destined to cross, with Stevenson being groomed for a different trajectory while Lopez was seemingly being prepared as an eventual opponent.
“Now we are back, and this plan is against me absolutely,” Lopez declared, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown. The champion enters the ring with an impressive record, boasting just one loss against George Kambosos Jr in late 2021. Stevenson, on the other hand, remains undefeated with a record of 24-0, including 11 knockouts.
Stevenson is making his debut in the super lightweight division, a move that Lopez believes was motivated by a lack of competition in lower weight classes. “Shakur is stepping up because he has got nobody else to go after,” Lopez asserted. He also suggested that Stevenson’s decision to move up in weight is influenced by his desire to emulate the achievements of his mentor, Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford, who made history by defeating Canelo Alvarez.
Despite Stevenson’s Olympic pedigree and flawless professional record, Lopez claims to have identified weaknesses in his opponent’s game. “My job is to show the true flaws that they cannot see, that the world cannot see,” Lopez stated confidently. “My job is to show the world that nobody can beat me, and I’m going to make it look pretty.”
Lopez’s confidence is bolstered by his recent performance, a dominant shutout win against Arnold Barboza Jr in May of last year. Stevenson, too, comes into the fight on the back of an impressive victory against William Zepeda. With both fighters in top form, the stage is set for an electrifying encounter at Madison Square Garden.
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