Boxing
Will beating Teofimo Lopez be enough to get Shakur Stevenson into the P4P top five?
Published
3 months agoon
Teofimo on 140
Lopez’s 140-pound titles came against Josh Taylor, who was coming off a questionable victory over Jack Catterall and has now lost three fights in a row. Teofimo narrowly defeated Taylor by a 12-round unanimous decision and didn’t look good in his last fight against Arnold Barboza Jr. in May last year.
Lopez did not show the same level of performance at welterweight as he did at 135, when he had a size advantage over his opponent.
“Choose this fight to challenge yourself. Dare to be great and I will do it. The only path to true greatness is to take high risks. These moments will turn me into a legend, let’s do it! #ShakurTeofimo,” Shakur Stevenson said on the show X about the title fight with Teofimo Lopez
“For me and my family, I want to eat forever. That’s for sure, there’s no doubt about it,” Shakur told Breadkfast Club 105.1 about the money he will receive for fighting Teofimo Lopez on January 31.
“I think it would take me to a whole different level,” Stevenson said of how a win over Teofimo would impact his career. “In this case, pound for pound after I beat Teo, you put me in the top five.”
What victory really means
Beating Teofimo wouldn’t take Shakur’s career to a “completely different level” in the true sense of the word. It would be superficial smoke and mirrorsfighting a guy who looks like a shell of the fighter he once was since moving up to 140 pounds.
Die-hard fans who follow the sport closely and scrutinize the competition like Nation Vegas does can easily spot that Lopez hasn’t been fighting at his best since coming up to welterweight. Turki Alalshikh would really do the fans a favor if he insisted that Shakur fight Gary Antuanne Russell or Subriel Matias. These two have 140-pound belts and are fighting at a high level.
“I feel Teo should be undisputed. The guy is talented and will be one of the best players on my CV,” Stevenson said of Lopez.
Shakur talks about how Teofimo defeated WBA/WBO/WBC Franchise Lightweight Champion Vasily Lomachenko in 2020 and was given no credit for being the undisputed champion. He did not win the regular WBC 135-pound belt, which was then held by Devin Haney.
Did Lopez slip?
It wouldn’t have mattered if Teofimo had gone undisputed five years ago. The reality is that he doesn’t look like the same fighter since moving up to 140 pounds in 2021. Lopez lost to George Kambosos, who was involved in two controversial decisions against Jamaine Ortiz and Sandor Martin.
Better tests on 140
More importantly, Teofimo chose not to fight these high-level fighters for some reason:
- Ernesto Mercado
- Gary Antuanne Russell
- Richardson Hitchins
- Albert Puello
- Subriel Mathias
- Keyshawn Davis
That doesn’t make Shakur worthy of a top-five pound-for-pound ranking if he beats Teofimo. He didn’t show that he was one of the best in the welterweight division because he chose not to fight top fighters.
Lopez’s selection of Pedro Campa, Sandor Martin, Josh Taylor, Arnold Barboza Jr. and Steve Claggett suggests that he protected his career by facing lesser threats. If Shakur wants to be added to the P4P list, he should focus on fighting against the above list of untouchable players, starting with Ernesto Mercado. Let’s see how Shakur handles him.
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Boxing
Keyshawn Davis Claims He’s ‘Increasing Weight For Championship Fight’
Published
43 minutes agoon
March 9, 2026
Keyshawn Davis has been linked to a move up to welterweight in recent weeks, and it appears “The Businessman” will be making the jump soon, with the “championship fight” date reportedly set at 147 pounds.
Davis was stripped of his WBO lightweight title when he missed weight last June for his scheduled first defense against Edwin De Los Santos. He then moved up to super lightweight and knocked out Jamaine Ortiz in the final round of their fight on the Teofimo Lopez vs. card. Shakur Stevenson.
In the wake of that victory, the Norfolk-born superstar called for a fight against current WBO welterweight world champion Devin Haney, who originally agreed to the fight before negotiations stalled.
As a result, it looked like Davis might stay at 140 pounds, but in… interview for FightHubThe 27-year-old revealed that he has a date for a “championship fight” in preparation for his 147-pound debut.
“I definitely got a response [from the people I called out] and I definitely have a date too. I’m telling you all this now and I’ll definitely be back sooner than you all think. That’s why you saw me playing politics in the gym.
“It’s political, but I’m really staying pointed. Don’t fuck up, I’m staying astute. There’s something coming.”
“I think I’m moving up [to 147lbs]. Yes, [for a championship fight]”
Haney seemed to be close to securing a unification fight with WBA champion Rolando Romero Lewis Crocker (IBF) postponed his match with Liam Paro due to injuryand Ryan Garcia (WBC) is looking elsewhere. It’s unclear where Davis fits.
Boxing
Haney rejects Romero’s triangle theory after Ryan’s theorem
Published
3 hours agoon
March 9, 2026
The comment came as Rolly, 30, was discussing Haney and the possibility of the two 147-pound champions meeting in the ring.
Haney responded on social media today after comments that went viral, rejecting Romero’s argument and saying that results involving other fighters do not determine the outcome of a future fight.
“Triangle theories don’t work in boxing,” Haney said on Program X. “Rolly will be strengthened by me.”
Former undisputed lightweight champion Haney then further mocked that logic by listing a string of results involving several fighters.
“Rolly was shaped by Barroso, Barroso was shaped by O’Hara Davies, Davies was shaped by Josh Taylor, Taylor was shaped by Teo, Teo was shaped by Kambosos, it all leads back to ME,” Haney said.
The exchange of words takes place as both fighters continue to discuss a possible unification fight in the welterweight division. Rolly holds the WBA title and Haney holds the WBO belt, creating the potential for a two-belt fight if negotiations are completed.
There have been discussions about rescheduling the fight between both champions for later this year, although neither side has confirmed that a deal has been finalized.
Devin will likely enter the fight as the clear favorite against Rolly (17-2, 13 KO), who moved up to welterweight after competing at a lighter weight earlier in his career.
Romero defeated Ryan Garcia via 12-round unanimous decision on May 2, 2025, which increased attention on potential welterweight fights. The fight took place in Recent York and was one of the biggest victories in Romero’s career.
He hasn’t fought since that victory, analyzing possible high-profile fights.
One issue with Romero’s schedule is his tardy mandatory defense against Shakhram Giyasov. The Uzbek contender has been a top contender for the WBA title for a long time, but a title fight has not been ordered or finalized yet.
It is unclear whether the WBA will allow Romero to directly enter a unification fight with Haney without meeting Giyasov first. Sanctioning bodies sometimes allow champions to postpone mandatory defenses before unification fights, although no decision has been announced.
Negotiations between Haney and Romero are still ongoing.
Boxing
Heavyweight “Last Viking” with 14 knockouts in just 26 rounds
Published
4 hours agoon
March 9, 2026
Boxing has long been crying out for another true knockout artist after Deontay Wilder’s gradual decline towards the end of his career.
There are still champions and challengers in the heavyweight division, but it’s increasingly arduous to find the kind of raw knockout threat that once made Wilder must-watch TV.
Thomas Narmo may still be a long way from that level, but early signs suggest the Norwegian known as ‘The Last Viking’ could finally enter the conversation if his current form continues.
The 31-year-old knocked out all 14 of his opponents in just 26 rounds, a devastating start that made the heavyweight division another uncommon artist who can boast a 100 percent knockout record.
He turned professional in 2022 following his previous MMA career.
The heavyweight numbers stand out
Much of the heavyweight buzz at the moment centers around undefeated prospect Moses Itauma, a teenage sensation who has been carefully developed by promoter Frank Warren into one of the UK’s most talked-about prospects.
Itauma’s rise has dominated the headlines, but an unknown like Narmo coming out of European competition with a perfect knockout record provides a refreshing contrast.
However, the effectiveness of Narmo’s work to date cannot be ignored.
The statuesque Norwegian is 180 cm statuesque and in the distance he broke through 14 professional opponents. That works out to roughly 1.8 rounds per fight, which is a remarkable finishing rate for any potential heavyweight.
Many of these attacks barely had time to develop.
Seven of Narmo’s wins have come after the opening round, highlighting the strength of the early fight that defined his perfect knockout record.
This destructiveness traditionally turns heavyweights into attractions. Fighters who can end fights before they actually start quickly attract attention, even if they operate outside the sport’s main promotional spotlight.
Two years of operation
Activism also played a role in building Narmo’s momentum. The Norwegian fought ten times in just two years, fighting mainly in Germany and Central Europe, constantly extending his knockout streak.
At a time when many prospects are sluggish to come along and only show up a few times a year, this level of activity adds extra substance to his record.
It doesn’t answer all the questions, but it shows that Narmo doesn’t stay idle between appearances.
Still a lot to prove
Narmo’s most notable win at the moment is probably that of Mark De Mori, the veteran campaigner who lasted just 131 seconds in a match against a semi-injured David Haye over a decade ago.
The victory was respectable, but not necessarily a statement.
There is still a lot to prove. In the heavyweight division, many fighters have broken impressive records before discovering that the leap to world-class competition is much more arduous than expected.
For Narmo, the real test will come when matchmaking inevitably pushes him towards higher ranked opponents capable of weathering the early storm.
However, if knockouts continue at this rate, boxing’s “Last Viking” may not remain an unknown for long.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.
Keyshawn Davis Claims He’s ‘Increasing Weight For Championship Fight’
Haney rejects Romero’s triangle theory after Ryan’s theorem
Heavyweight “Last Viking” with 14 knockouts in just 26 rounds
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