Teofimo Lopez revealed this last night “meat” [Shakur Stevenson] is still preparing for the megafight scheduled for January 2026. It is still in the negotiation phase. He did not say what the heist involved, but it is believed that the reason delaying the announcement is the division of money and purse.
Stevenson (24-0, 11 KO) would be the B-side in this fight, as he is no match for WBO welterweight champion Teofimo (22-1, 13 KO) in terms of popularity. The Newark, Novel Jersey native was also expected to boost his weight from 135 to challenge Teo for the 140 belt, likely in Novel York on his home turf at Madison Square Garden.
Meat Still Marinated
“The meat is marinated in the refrigerator. Let it marinate,” said Teofimo Lopez Fight about his fight with Shakur Stevenson. “You have to stay informed.
Lopez’s power advantage will be a nightmare for Stevenson, who has nothing to do with him. On July 12, 2025, in Queens, Novel York, he will fight a grueling fight against William Zepeda, in which he was lucky to receive a decision. Zepeda kept Shakur trapped on the ropes throughout the fight, landing constant punches to the body.
The judges awarded it to Stevenson in a unanimous decision over 12 rounds. It wasn’t an basic fight. In the third, Zepeda dropped Stevenson with a right hand, but the referee didn’t count it. The knockdown was obvious. The missed call showed what Mexican fighter Zepeda was up against.
Shakur’s broken arm excuse
Shakur’s frail hands are the reason why the fight with Lopez is postponed to 2026. WX said he will fight Teo now before the end of 2025, but he wants his hands to be there “100%.”
Boxing fans aren’t buying this excuse, seeing as Stevenson delays trying to negotiate a better shot. Some see this as a hope that he can delay the fight to boost the risk of Lopez getting out of shape due to inactivity while waiting for his glass hands to finally heal.
Wolves on 135
Many people see Shakur adding weight as a sneaky, spider-like way to avoid the hungry wolves that stand at his door at 135 pounds, ready to snatch the WBC lightweight belt from him:
Andy Cruz
Floyd Schofield
Raymond Muratalla
Abdullah Mason
Sam Noakes
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The star fighter, who has made an astonishing 15 defenses of his welterweight world title, supported himself in a fantastic showdown with Terence Crawford.
He had previously won seven straight 147-pound world titles, all through stoppages, but he could only cement his position as top dog by dethroning Spence.
Not only did he defeat “The Truth” and win his three world titles, but Crawford secured a surprisingly one-sided defeat over nine rounds.
After that career-defining moment, the American became the undisputed three-division champion, moving up to 168 pounds to dethrone Canelo Alvarez.
However, at welterweight, Crawford managed to produce some of his best performances, perhaps striking the perfect balance between being vigorous and impressively fit.
Another man who has had considerable success at 147 pounds is, of course, Felix Trinidad, who reigned as the IBF world champion for almost seven years.
Two of his greatest victories came against Oscar De La Hoya and Pernell Whitaker, who both went on to create Hall of Fame careers in their own right.
It is therefore natural that “Tito” sees his chances in a direct fight with Crawford, saying: Fighting Hub TV that he would give “Bud” his only professional flaw.
“With all due respect to Crawford…Tito Trinidad – I will win.”
While no fighter has been able to answer Crawford’s mystery, it is equally safe and sound to say that the former five-division world champion has never faced someone like Trinidad.
Raizd announced the deal on Instagram on Monday, posting: “Official: Robeisy ‘El Tren’ Ramirez signs with RAIZD BOXING. World-class addition. Former WBO World Featherweight Champion. Two-time Olympic gold medalist. Welcome to the team, Robeisy.”
For a startup that is still building its name, this is a robust impulse. For everyone else, it encourages questions. There has been no evident move from Zuffa Boxing, Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions or other major teams that often pursue recognizable talent.
When a two-time Gold Medalist hits the open market and the Massive Four don’t pull the trigger. Raizd Boxing is basically a ghost ship right now. They are so modern that they haven’t even held their first event yet.
As for why the giants have stayed away, it probably comes down to a combination of time, shelf life and the ongoing business changes many of these companies are making.
At 126 pounds, 32 is on the older side. Promoters are notoriously wary of small-time fighters who have just had a career-changing break. Perhaps they would prefer to wait and see if he has anything left before signing him to an high-priced multi-fight contract.
While Dana White is finally taking action, Zuffa is aggressively targeting younger, buzz-worthy talent like Edgar Berlanga and Richardson Hitchins. Ramirez is 32 years aged and had a brutal knockout loss to Rafael Espinoza in December. Zuffa could see him as a veteran of damaged goods rather than a fundamental piece of their launch.
Ramirez may not have the same shine he had when he fled Cuba or when he beat Shakur Stevenson in the amateurs, but fighters with that kind of experience rarely hit the open market.
His recent form likely played a role. Ramirez is 14-3 with nine knockouts and has lost two of his last three fights, with both losses coming to Rafael Espinoza, including a stoppage in the rematch. At 32 years aged, he is no longer a long-term project that can be slowly developed.
Still, there is a clear advantage if handled properly. Ramirez remains a talented southpaw with the pedigree, experience and enough reputational value to quickly become relevant again at featherweight or above. If it combines wins, larger promoters may regret letting startup Raizd make the first move.
This marks the 27-year-old’s first victory since 2023, when he edged Oscar Duarte in the eighth round before his controversial fight with Devin Haney.
Despite a majority decision advantage over Haney, that result was declared a no-contest in April 2024 after “King Ry” tested positive for the banned substance ostarine.
Benn also failed a 2022 drug test ahead of his canceled fight against Chris Eubank Jr, whom he ultimately defeated in a middleweight rematch last November.
This followed a points defeat to Eubank in April 2025, although earlier this month Benn remained in the win column, ahead of Regis Prograis, who subsequently announced his retirement.
However, despite his last fight at 150 pounds, the 29-year-old now wants to capitalize on his No. 1 ranking in the WBC and fight Garcia.
I’m talking to ESNEWSformer two-division world champion Bradley gave Benn little more than a prayer against Garcia.
“Ryan knocks him out.”
As the top contender for the WBC welterweight title, Benn is expected to be ordered to fight Garcia in the not-too-distant future, even if ongoing negotiations fail.
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