Shakur Stevenson humiliated and humiliated Teofimo Lopez with his boxing version of the perfect match on Saturday night, winning the WBO junior welterweight title by unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden in Fresh York.
Stevenson (25-0, 11 KO) promised to make the Lopez fight look simple, and he did, with all three judges scoring the fight 119-109. In the process, Stevenson became the fastest fighter to become a four-division champion.
“I took it apart and did what I had to do,” Stevenson said. “That’s the art of boxing – hit and don’t get hit, and pick guys apart. I told you all I’m the best fighter in the world and I stand by that.”
Stevenson, 28, has long felt he was overlooked and disrespected despite the accolades he received as an Olympic silver medalist and three-division champion. He saw peers like Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, Gervonta Davis and Lopez receive acclaim while feeling criticized for a safety-first style that rarely led to losing innings. In July, he was forced into the co-main event against William Zepeda to prove he could put up electrifying fights.
Before Saturday night, Stevenson told ESPN that his performance would force the world to accept and respect him.
That’s exactly what he did, holding a master class against another pound-for-pound fighter in a matchup between two newborn boxers in their prime.
Stevenson, who entered the fight as the No. 7 pound-for-pound fighter in ESPN’s rankings, moved up to the 140-pound weight class after winning the featherweight, junior lightweight and lightweight world titles, losing what was considered a size advantage to Lopez, who was ranked No. 10 in the pound-for-pound rankings, according to ESPN.
Lopez (22-2, 18 KO) entered the fight as the lineal junior welterweight champion, defeating former undisputed champion Josh Taylor and future star Vasily Lomachenko. He promised to crack the code of Stevenson’s brilliant defense and berated his opponent in the build-up to the fight.
None of this mattered because Lopez had difficulty committing any significant crime against Stevenson, who stood right in front of him and performed the autopsy with relative ease.
With a powerful push and quick reflexes, Stevenson tamed the aggressive Lopez from the first bell. Instead of moving around the ring, Stevenson kept the court in the middle, tearing apart Lopez and demoralizing him as the rounds went on. Lopez’s father and trainer were confused and instead of offering helpful instructions, they began urging his son to continue practicing.
“I saw it on tape,” Stevenson said. “I watched him and I knew my jab would kill him. I told everyone that before the fight. I said they would say that after that fight I got the best jab in boxing because I saw where he was delicate and I took advantage of it.
“I felt like I was a stronger fighter. I felt like I was faster. I was smarter and smarter.”
Lopez was desperate for answers, but she never stopped trying. He was down 78-23 after six rounds, but he continued to throw punches, and every time Stevenson got into the action, the bell rang repeatedly as he charged in, and his left eye was cut open.
By the end of the fight, Stevenson’s brilliance had increased statistically. He landed 165 of 372 punches (44%) compared to Lopez’s 72 of 468 (15%).
“Every dog has his day,” a humble Lopez said after the defeat. “So congratulations to Shakur.”
Following the victory, Stevenson challenged Conor Benn, who last fought Chris Eubank Jr. in November at 160 pounds. While the move up to 140 pounds was another weight bump for Stevenson, it looks like he’s not done taking risks in the face of the toughest challenges as he looks to be recognized as the best fighter in the world.
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