Teofimo Lopez Jr. realizes that
Shakur Stevenson is a one-of-one.
Just how stiff the test will be remains to be seen as they move closer to their
January 31 tilt to headline The Ring 6 card at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Lopez (22-1, 13 KOs), The Ring and WBO junior welterweight champion,
will try to stave off Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs), the WBC lightweight champion and the No. 8-ranked pound-for-pound fighter who’s on a quest to become a four-division champion.
“They had to bring a lightweight to try and dethrone Teofimo because they had no other options. What I am is far better and greater than what they know,” Lopez told reporters.
“This means everything to me. Shakur is another fighter and another column to add to my pedigree. I'm thankful, and I want more.
“But no one is like Shakur Stevenson, and that's what makes the fight even more exciting.”
Lopez said he’s been recruiting sparring partners who both move around and stay in the pocket. During camp, Lopez said he’s focusing on working on his range, distance, and establishing a comfort zone to be even more capable for the clash.
“My best attribute in my skillset is my footwork,” said Lopez. “I'm looking forward to seeing how much I am going to develop going against a fighter like him, and what I learned from my previous professional fights.”
Lopez has been victorious in convincing fashion the previous two times he’s been projected to lose, when he beat Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2020 and Josh Taylor in 2023.
Oddsmakers favor Stevenson by a long stretch this time around, too. Stevenson is a -295 betting favorite compared to the +225 underdog Lopez, according to DraftKings.
Lopez is confident, however, the fight will go his way and that a sequel won’t be required.
“There is no rematch clause,” said Lopez. “There is no need for it. We risk it all, all the time. We've been ready to fight for a long time, and we're here now.”
The matchup could also mark Lopez’s last dance at 140 pounds, a division he’s competed in since 2022.
“All the roads lead to a bigger fight between [WBO welterweight champion] Devin Haney and me,” said Lopez. “Let's see who we get after this. We have to keep it going. We are not even in our prime yet.”
Manouk Akopyan is The Ring’s lead writer. Follow him on X and Instagram: @ManoukAkopyan.