Shakur Stevenson Promises To Defeat Teofimo Lopez And Then Face One Man
Shakur Stevenson is preparing for what might be the most significant year of his career, beginning with his imminent matchup against Teofimo Lopez. The undefeated 28-year-old from New Jersey is poised to challenge fellow American Lopez for the WBO world super-lightweight title at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, January 31. A win for Stevenson would mark his rise to world champion in a fourth weight category, having previously claimed titles at featherweight, super-featherweight, and lightweight. His last appearance was in July when he secured a unanimous decision victory over Mexico’s William Zepeda at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York City, thus accomplishing the third defense of his WBC lightweight title. Recently, in a social media post, Stevenson asserted that he plans to achieve his ‘best year ever’ as he aims for a potential bout with Britain’s Conor Benn following his fight with Lopez later this month. “Teo —> Conor 2026 Will be my greatest year yet!” Teo —> Conor 2026 Will be my greatest year yet! https://t.co/Odiw9zKWpX— Shakur Stevenson (@ShakurStevenson) November 25, 2025. Benn indicated his desire to face Stevenson soon after defeating his fierce opponent Chris Eubank Jr in their eagerly awaited rematch at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on November 15. The 29-year-old Londoner has mentioned his plans to move back down to welterweight for his next fight after stepping up to middleweight for his two bouts against Eubank. One potential obstacle could be that Stevenson, who will be making his debut at 140lbs against Lopez, would seek a rehydration clause for Benn in the 147 ranks, possibly permitting him to weigh only 157 the morning of the fight. This is something the Brit, even after Eubank went through that for both of their fights, seems reluctant to accept.
Published: 2026-01-06 15:11:00
source: www.secondsout.com
