Shakur Stevenson Dominates Teofimo Lopez to Capture WBO Junior Welterweight Title
Shakur Stevenson made his victory over Teofimo Lopez look almost effortless.
“This is the art of boxing,” he remarked. “Hit, don’t get hit, pick out the guys.”
The unbeaten southpaw maintained control throughout the fight, facing minimal opposition in the early rounds and later causing a cut over Lopez’s left eye. All three judges scored the bout 119-109, with Lopez only managing to secure a single round.
“I picked him apart, did what I had to do,” Stevenson stated.
Promoter Turki Alarusik tweeted that the event’s attendance of 21,324 set a record for boxing at the current Madison Square Garden, which has been operational since 1968. The crowd, initially vibrant in support of both fighters, had little opportunity to erupt in cheers once the fight commenced. Stevenson’s style, while effective, leaned more towards tactical than thrilling, quickly indicating his dominance in the ring.
Lopez struggled to match Stevenson’s impressive foot speed, often lunging forward in a futile attempt to connect, only to expose himself to rapid counterattacks. By the eighth round, his left eye was noticeably red, and by the tenth round, blood began streaming down his face from a fresh cut.
Lopez, at a loss for explanations for his defeat, admitted, “You can say a lot of things and still do the wrong thing.”
Stevenson, who had solid support from notable figures like retired champion Terence Crawford, had an early advantage, swiftly finding openings. He knocked Lopez off balance in the fourth round and landed a series of right jabs by the sixth, making it increasingly clear that Lopez was unlikely to secure even a single round win.
Though Stevenson was favored over Lopez by more than a 3-to-1 margin, Lopez had shown his strength as an underdog in past title fights. He previously defeated Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2020 and knocked out the former 140-pound champion Josh Taylor in 2023. However, Stevenson appeared to be in a league of his own, showcasing exceptional defensive skills and just enough offensive prowess. He even remarked feeling not just faster, but surprisingly stronger than Lopez.
The night proved rewarding for boxers from Brooklyn, particularly Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington, who earned the WBC featherweight title by knocking out Carlos Castro in the ninth round. Heavyweight Jarrell Miller, dealing with a hair malfunction mid-fight, edged out Kingsley Ibeh by split decision, improving his record to 27-1.
Interestingly, during the second round, a punch knocked Miller’s hairpiece off, revealing a large bald spot. He finished the round with the hairpiece and promptly tossed it into the crowd between rounds.
Additionally, former lightweight champion Keyshawn Davis made an impressive move up to 140 pounds, knocking down Jamaine Ortiz twice and eventually stopping him in the twelfth round. Davis expressed intentions to challenge welterweight champion Devin Haney next.
