Many fans on social media believe that Shakur Stevenson is making a mistake by moving up to 140 pounds to face Teofimo Lopez in early 2026.
Shakur’s lack of size, power and physical strength is why doubters are picking Lopez (22-1, 13 KO) to win this fight on January 31, 2026. WBO welterweight champion Teofimo has shown time and time again that he can fight in the pocket and trade with forceful opponents.
Since turning pro in 2017, we haven’t seen Stevenson able to hold his own against real competitors. In the three divisions in which he participated, he faced only one true threat to power: Edwin De Los Santos. In the November 2023 fight, Stevenson (24-0, 11 KO) boxed on the move for most of the 12 rounds.
Shakur’s social media post today, stating that he will not attend the Thanksgiving bout because Teofimo predicted he would force him to drop out, suggests that he is taking this fight extremely seriously. When players adjust their training during training camp, it usually means the stakes are high.
“There will be no thanksgiving for me this year. The guy told me he left to throw me on the stool or knock me out… WE ARE WORKING TODAY. FUCK IT”* Shakur said on the show X.
Shakur’s last fight was against William Zepeda, who took more shots than he usually sees. He didn’t give up much more often than usual, and the pace of this fight left apparent marks on him after the final bell. This was against a fighter who is not known for his one-punch power. Teofimo presents a completely different challenge, and the stylistic juxtaposition will be demanding.
Let’s hope Shakur and his team have fully assessed what’s involved with the jump to 140 pounds and the threat Lopez will bring on January 31st. A loss here would complicate Stevenson’s 2026 plans, including potential fights with Conor Benn and Lamont Roach. These fights may be put aside depending on what happens with Teo.
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It looks like Gervonta Davis is one step away from confirming her return to the ring.
Davis last fought in March 2025, when he earned a majority draw with Lamont Roach to defend his WBA lightweight title.
It was a controversial result, with many feeling that Roach had done enough to get the nod, especially after a knockdown was not awarded in his favor after “Tank” voluntarily chose to take a knee in round nine.
The next 12 months left many in doubt as to whether Davis would return to play at all. A planned exhibition with Jake Paul in November has been canceled over the Baltimore man’s naming in a civil lawsuit over domestic allegations, the latest in a string of issues going beyond the ropes.
Another drama occurred after an arrest warrant was issued for “Tank”, citing similar accusations, which led to him being stripped of his WBA lightweight title.
Regardless, it looks like Davis is ready to make a comeback after this happened Reported by Mike Coppinger that he is in advanced talks about a fight with Isaac Cruz, the man whom “Tank” considered his number one target at the end of last year.
Davis has already secured a victory over Cruz, who last fought in December when he fought to a majority draw against former foe “Tank” Roach – a fighter he believes should be given a chance to face him again.
Neither player holds a title and neither has been part of any real championship talk in recent seasons. Nery has already held the bantamweight and junior featherweight belts, although his recent appearances at featherweight have shown that the path up is confined. At 126 pounds, he looked undersized and unable to apply the same pressure that once carried him through lighter divisions, which makes a return to 122 pounds a more practical move.
Saikou x Lush Boxing will promote the event as part of a three-day boxing show in the capital of Kyrgyzstan. The gala will be held at the Gazprom Sports Convoluted, an extraordinary setting for two players who regularly appeared on larger international stages at the beginning of their careers.
Nery (37-2, 28 KO) will fight in Kyrgyzstan for the second time in a row after appearing there in October last year. The 31-year-old Mexican southpaw defeated Sathaporn Saart by technical decision in the eighth round after an accidental head collision put the fight on the scorecards.
The win was his second in a row since Naoya Inoue stopped him in the sixth round in May 2024. Nery made a comeback earlier in 2025, stopping Kyonosuke Kameda in the seventh round before extending his rebound stretch with a victory over Saart.
Casimero (35-5-1, 24 KOs), now 37, built his reputation by winning junior flyweight, flyweight and bantamweight titles early in his career. Activity has been confined and results inconsistent over the past few seasons, leading to him being 2-1-1 in his last four fights.
His last fight was in December, when he defeated Tom Mizokoshi in the fifth round in Japan. Two months earlier, he appeared at the same October gala in Kyrgyzstan, where Nery fought Saart and lost to Kameda by unanimous decision of ten rounds.
The April meeting brings together two former champions who once operated at the forefront of the sport’s lighter divisions. At this stage, it could be read as more of a veteran clash between recognizable names rather than a fight expected to impact the junior featherweight championship race.
Tomek Galm is a boxing journalist covering the global fight landscape since 2014, specializing in heavyweight analysis, industry trends and fighter psychology.
Oleksandr Usyk is taking Rico Verhoeven seriously, perhaps because he will face a bigger challenge later.
The elite southpaw will face kickboxing icon Verhoeven on May 23 in Egypt in a fight focused on spectacle after years of hard-fought victories on the road. Even though Usyk has strayed from his usual matchmaking, he has now assured fans that they can expect a return to top-level championship boxing later.
Speaking on DAZN’s Inside the Ring, Usyk revealed that after the fight, his goal would be to become the undisputed heavyweight champion for a third time, with his primary goal being either Daniel Dubois or Fabio Wardley.
“For me it’s a real fight. Yes, Rico is not a good boxer, ok, nice fight, no problem, but I want my next fight [against the] Daniel Dubois and Wardley winner.”
Wardley was promoted from interim to full WBO champion when the Ukrainian vacated the belt rather than face him as mandatory challenger. His first defense against Dubois, scheduled for May 9 in Manchester, is perilous.
This is a legacy-based strategy that Usyk has used in the past, dropping the IBF belt to allow Dubois’ elevation, defending against Anthony Joshua, and then facing him to regain the belt. If “DDD” defeats Wardley, he could expect a trilogy fight, but fan interest may wane given how the first two fights went.
It all depends on whether Usyk retains his three titles. Although the fight for the WBC belt with Verhoeven is highly controversial, the IBF and WBA leagues have not been mentioned yet. The sanctioning authorities may well decide to declare a vacancy in their belts.
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