Shakur Stevenson says he wants to prove to the public he’s the best fighter on “earth” when he faces Teofimo Lopez in what he believes will be in January 2026.
Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs) states that his fight with WBO light welterweight champion Teofimo (22-1, 13 KOs) is “bigger” than anything else in boxing now. It’ll be the main event when it happens.
Shakur, 28, will be moving up to 140 for the first time to challenge Lopez for his WBO light welterweight title. He doesn’t plan on staying in this weight class. Stevenson says that after he beats Teofimo, he’ll give the WBO title to his friend, Keyshawn Davis. That’ll be interesting to see, and it’ll go over really well with fans, I bet.
The King’s Throne Awaits
“Once the business people are ready to seal the deal, the deal will be done. The fight is happening. We want to be King. We want to be where Bud Crawford is at. Early 26. I like January,” said Shakur Stevenson to the Ariel Helwani channel about when he’ll fight Teofimo Lopez.
Without Turki Alalshikh taking an interest in Shakur and or Teofimo, they’re not going to be given the opportunities that have been handed to Terence Crawford. He’s only fought on two of Turki’s cards, but he’s been paid a fortune in those fights.
If Turki sees Stevenson and Lopez on his favorites list, they’ll be where Crawford is at financially, receiving massive paydays. It’s improbable that Stevenson will become an undisputed champion like Crawford has without being in the perfect position to collect all the belts at once, without taking on any of the risky fighters.
“We could fight anywhere as long as the fight sells. I just want to prove to the world I’m the best fighter on the planet Earth. That’s what the business people are doing,” said Stevenson when asked if there’s a location being decided.
A Heels Popularity
It’s admirable that Shakur wants to show fans that he’s “the best fighter” in boxing in his contest against Teofimo. I believe that’s untainable with Stevenson’s fighting style, which is too defensively focused. If Shakur can keep posting frequently on X and giving a lot of interviews, bragging about himself, he can become a bigger star outside of the ring in a WWE-type way by being a heel or villainous character. That’s arguably one of the important factors why Shakur is popular.
I don’t believe it’s because of his fighting style, performances, or the opposition he’s faced during his career. It’s the way he brags about himself, coming across as an unbearable narcissist and lacking self-awareness.
“Yes, for sure. I don’t think nothing in boxing is bigger than me and Teo right now,” said Shakur when asked if his clash with Lopez will be the main event.
It’s good to know that Shakur is back on the headliners once again. His last two fights against William Zepeda and Josh Padley were placed on undercards in 2025. With Teofimo’s popularity, it makes sense for Turki Alalshikh to make this a main event fight. Even if Shakur lacks popularity with mainstream boxing fans, Teofimo’s star power will make up the difference.
Headlining Without Booing
Shakur needs to continue to fight in a stationary style like he showed in his last fight against Zepeda on July 12 for him to become must-watch TV to be able to headline shows that don’t bomb, causing booing, and make fans exit the arenas early in large numbers.
It’s essential that Stevenson not run around the ring, turning the contest into a Tom and Jerry-style fight. The way that Stevenson was booed in his fights against Edwin De Los Santos and Jeremiah Nakathilia left a lasting impression on fans.
