An angry Shakur Stevenson posted today that there won’t be a Thanksgiving for him due to Teofimo Lopez’s prediction that he’ll make him “quit on his stool” in their fight on January 31, 2026.
That prediction by the WBO light welterweight champion Teofimo (22-1, 13 KOs) has stuck in Shakur’s craw. The way that Lopez made the prediction, sounding so sure of himself, may be the real reason Stevenson is still annoyed four weeks later. When Teo makes predictions, he carries them out.
It would be a disaster for Stevenson’s career if he quit on his stool against Lopez. Shakur’s plans for fighting welterweight Conor Benn in April 2026 in a fight that would earn him millions would be gone. He could forget about.
“No thanksgiving this year for me. Dude said he’s gonna make me quit on the stool or knock me out. We are working today. F*** that,” said Shakur Stevenson on X, amped up after Teofimo Lopez predicted that he’s going to make him quit on his stool when they fight on January 31, 2026.
Teofimo’s comments that got Shakur worked up:
“I think it’s time for him to really take his first loss. Me whoop has a to the point where he quits on his stool, or I knock him out,” said Teofimo during an interview with Brian Custer on his YouTube channel.
It won’t be the end of the world if Stevenson is forced to quit on his stool against Lopez. He can still return to the lightweight division, where he left his WBC title behind, and make defenses against Andy Cruz and/or unifications against Abdullah Mason.
Fans won’t abandon Shakur because he would have the excuse for his loss to Teofimo, as he’s fighting outside of his natural division.