This Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York, as part of the event titled “The Ring VI,” WBO super lightweight world champion Teofimo Lopez will put his belt on the line against challenger Shakur Stevenson. It will be one of the most anticipated fights of 2026, and the winner will undoubtedly make a significant leap forward in the pound-for-pound rankings. The event will be broadcast on DAZN on pay-per-view.
The two theories about Teofimo Lopez
Let’s start with a simple fact: Teofimo Lopez’s performances throughout his professional career have been extremely inconsistent. The dazzling, against-the-odds victory over Vasyl Lomachenko, the unexpected loss to George Kambosos, the outstanding win against Josh Taylor, and the controversial, grueling success over Jamaine Ortiz are just a few examples of his constant ups and downs. The reason for this lack of continuity, however, is a topic on which not everyone agrees.
Some believe the crucial factor lies in motivation. According to this theory, Lopez performs at his best only when the stage is particularly prestigious, while he tends to disappoint when the spotlight is less intense. Others, instead, attribute the wide gap between the “Takeover’s” performances to the style of the opponent he faces each time. They point out that Lopez has always looked comfortable when attacked head-on, while he has struggled far more when trying to close the distance against elusive, slippery opponents.
Shakur Stevenson and the slap in the face to his critics
Cautious, elusive fighters who are reluctant to engage in close-range exchanges are often heavily criticized by the masses. It is therefore no surprise that Stevenson, despite an unblemished record and a résumé of the highest level, has to deal with a significant number of detractors, whose accusations are mainly based on the claim that the American is constantly involved in “boring” fights.
The last time he stepped into the ring, however, Shakur forced many of his haters to rethink their stance. Matched against an aggressive, relentless pressure fighter like William Zepeda, the lightweight world champion did not run as many had predicted. Instead, he stood his ground with his back to the ropes for extended stretches, inviting his opponent to come forward. The result was a clear points victory, achieved through brilliant boxing of the highest technical quality.
What will happen? Boxe Punch’s prediction
Personally, I believe that among the two most popular theories about Teofimo Lopez’s career, the one that emphasizes the characteristics and style of his opponents is the more accurate. I think the “Takeover” has clear limitations when boxing on the front foot—limitations he has carried with him since his amateur days, as evidenced by the loss to Frenchman Sofiane Oumiha that eliminated him at Rio 2016.
On the other hand, I am also convinced that the famous saying “styles make fights” is somewhat overused in boxing discussions. While it is undoubtedly true that the stylistic matchup between two fighters can significantly affect the dynamics of a bout, focusing exclusively on that aspect can be limiting and misleading.
Boxing history is full of cases in which a champion, thanks to his technical, mental, and physical qualities, has brilliantly overcome opponents who on paper should have been troublesome precisely because of their style. Lopez himself, despite performances that have made many raise an eyebrow, has managed to defeat Sandor Martin, Jamaine Ortiz, and Arnold Barboza—three solid outboxers.
As for the fight this article is dedicated to, I personally believe that beyond the stylistic matchup, which undoubtedly favors Stevenson, what will really make the difference is the gap in overall quality between the two fighters—also, in my opinion, in Shakur’s favor.
The challenger is a complete champion who perhaps lacks only a touch of single-punch power, a shortcoming more than compensated for by countless other qualities that make him a true elite fighter. Footwork, timing, use of the jab, sense of distance, hand speed, reflexes, and defensive movement are all fundamentals in which the American excels. This high-class repertoire has allowed him, with the sole exception of the fight against Edwin De Los Santos—affected by a shoulder injury—to dominate all his opponents with disarming ease.
Lopez, in turn, possesses championship-caliber punches, but he is a fighter who bases part of his success on improvisation and instinct. In my view, this difference will prove crucial in Saturday’s bout. The champion will likely have his moments, land some spectacular combinations, and draw applause, but between one burst and another he will be subjected to the challenger’s steadier, more diligent, and more “scientific” work.
If Stevenson were to use his legs to move relentlessly around his opponent without ever offering a target, he could secure a clear points decision in an extremely dull fight—and for some time this was the scenario I considered most likely.
Lately, however, I have begun to suspect that Shakur, as he did against Zepeda, wants not only to win but also to provide some entertainment. The American could stand in front of Lopez more often than many expect and challenge him on the ground of timing, keeping the audience engaged with a certain level of tension.
Lopez might steal a few rounds by catching the judges’ eye with particularly spectacular and flashy shots, but over the course of twelve rounds I believe Stevenson will manage to make his superiority unquestionable, confirming himself as one of the finest practitioners of boxing of this era and further advancing in the pound-for-pound rankings.
I therefore predict a points victory for Shakur Stevenson by a margin of around six points on the scorecards.