Lopez says Stevenson used foot placement and clinch work to disrupt him during their January 31 title fight
Teofimo Lopez has pointed to specific tactics used by Shakur Stevenson in their January 31 fight. The former champion said foot placement and clinch work affected key moments in the bout.
Lopez lost his WBO light welterweight title to Stevenson by a 12-round unanimous decision on January 31, with the challenger moving up from 135 pounds to take the fight.
The bout saw Stevenson control much of the action through his movement and defensive positioning across the rounds.
Teofimo said Stevenson was stepping on his foot and using his arms during clinches, describing those sequences as part of what he experienced inside the ring and how those moments played out during the fight.
“In the fight, he was stepping on my foot and elbowing me in between those moments when we were clinching. You just got to make it a dirty fight,” Teofimo said to Boxing High.
He also spoke about Stevenson’s control of distance and positioning, pointing to how those elements influenced the pace of the fight and limited openings over the rounds.
“He knows how to create enough space to where he’s defensively where he needs to be. I think Shakur is a great fighter. Do I think that he believes in himself wholly? No,” Teofimo said.
The comments come three months after Teofimo’s loss to Stevenson, with him revisiting specific moments from the fight and outlining adjustments he believes were available at different points during the bout.
Shakur’s movement and positioning made it difficult for Teofimo to get set, and he showed frustration as the rounds went on, as he looked to find openings.
Months later, Teofimo is looking back at the fight by pointing to specific moments and adjustments that didn’t come together during the bout, including the exchanges at close range and the difficulty in changing the rhythm of the fight.
