If there is one thing Teofimo Lopez certainly does not lack, it is self-confidence. The American fighter of Honduran roots firmly believes in his abilities and does not seem concerned by the fact that bookmakers have him as a clear underdog ahead of his January 31 bout against Shakur Stevenson. “The Takeover” is not only convinced he will win, but he also expects to do so by knockout.
In an interview with DAZN, Lopez made the following prediction:
“I’m gonna show everyone his defense is not as immaculate as they say it is. My job is to show the world the flaws that they can’t see. My job is to show the world that can’t nobody beat me. And I’m going to make it look pretty. And it’s going to be much prettier when I see him laid out flat.”
Shakur Stevenson has already been a world champion in three weight divisions (featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight), and on this occasion he will move up to the fourth weight class of his career. According to Lopez, his opponent has been pushed to take on this challenge both due to a lack of worthy opponents at lightweight and by the desire to emulate his friend Terence Crawford:
“Shakur is stepping up because he’s got no one else to go after,” Lopez told DAZN. “He’s stepping up to trying to prove a point. His big bro, aka Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford, put on a huge upset and made a historical moment in time for the sport of boxing and changed it by beating Canelo Alvarez to become the undisputed super middleweight world champion so I think that things like that make Shakur want to step up to the plate and face Teofimo.”
The two fighters will clash at Madison Square Garden in New York, with Lopez’s WBO super lightweight world title on the line. Also featured on the card will be the WBC middleweight world championship bout between titleholder Carlos Adames and challenger Austin Williams, as well as Keyshawn Davis’ super lightweight debut against the tough Jamaine Ortiz.