BoxRec

Shakur Stevenson vs. Teofimo Lopez negotiations making progress for January fight

Shakur Stevenson’s effort to take his legacy to new heights is in progress. An individual close to the fighter tells Boxing Scene that Stevenson is “very” receptive to fighting WBO 140lbs champion Teofimo Lopez in January.

New Jersey’s three-division champion Stevenson, 24-0 (11 KOs), has been agreeable to terms and a January date presented him for a showdown with two-division champion Lopez, 22-1 (13 KOs), by Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh, said the representative, who is unauthorized to speak publicly on the matter because negotiations are active.

While Lopez is expressing mutual interest in the bout on social media, Stevenson and the Saudis are mindful of how he withdrew from talks earlier this year for a November showdown with unbeaten two-division champion Devin Haney despite being close to the finish line.

Haney will now instead fight for the WBO welterweight belt against champion Brian Norman Jnr.

The individual said Stevenson has verbally agreed to the deal, prompting Stevenson on social media to goad his fellow 28-year-old and former Top Rank stablemate Lopez to do the same.

The bout would give Stevenson the chance to become a four-division champion following his convincing victory over mandatory WBC lightweight contender William Zepeda on July 25 in New York.

Lopez last fought May 2 in Times Square, cruising to a unanimous-decision victory over his top-ranked challenger Arnold Barboza Jnr.

The bout between elite American champions would certainly be a continuation of their current social-media back and forth as each seeks to elevate their position in the top-10 pound-for-pound rankings.

Earlier this week, the WBO moved to ensure Lopez remains active by receiving recent WBO lightweight champion Keyshawn Davis’ petition to become the top-ranked challenger to Lopez.

Should Davis defeat current top-ranked contender Alfredo Santiago, he would be in line to fight for the belt worn now by Lopez.

Stevenson has said it’s his plan to defeat Lopez and then let his friend and fellow U.S. Olympic silver medalist Davis inherit the 140lbs belt.

So Stevenson wants to fight Lopez and if he wins, then vacate his belt to give it to his friend? That's everything wrong in this sport today in a nutshell.

NateJR wrote: ↑01 Sep 2025, 08:59 So Stevenson wants to fight Lopez and if he wins, then vacate his belt to give it to his friend? That's everything wrong in this sport today in a nutshell.

Yeah, but getting that fight to happen would be worth some dumb hijinks.

Very good fight on paper. Might not be the most exciting to watch but it will be technical.

The top 135 vs the top 140 (boxrec rankings) hard to complain about that. But I will a bit… 135 is stacked with tallent, the top guy prematurely going to 140 seems silly.

But for shakur teo and tank are the biggest earners at or near his weight so it’s can’t blame him.

Good match. These guys both need one too. This whole weight region has been treading water.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑01 Sep 2025, 03:11 An individual close to the fighter tells Boxing Scene that Stevenson is “very” receptive to fighting WBO 140lbs champion Teofimo Lopez in January.

They are always "very receptive," yet nothing ever happens. I'll believe it when the 3rd round starts.

Give up home field and fight Teo in his own backyard
That fight would turn heads

I just don't understand why it's 4 months from now and not 1 or 2. Fighters piss away so much of their valuable career time nowadays with inactivity.

Perhaps they need to generate interest all around the world and it's more profitable putting more time into promotion than actual training for some

New York needs a fight like this

Evander wrote: ↑06 Sep 2025, 22:31 Perhaps they need to generate interest all around the world and it's more profitable putting more time into promotion than actual training for some

This fight won't be any bigger in January than it would be in November or late October

Why not
Depends where they fight and who promotes it
I'd watch it depending on the circumstances
Makes it way more interesting if SS goes to Teo's turf

I got no problem with the fight itself. I think it's a great matchup. I just don't think such a long time between now and the fight is necessary, but whatever ya know. It's their career.

It's Newark v Brooklyn
Make it one of the big shows during December

I agree. Look at Parker-Wardley?

It’s just been announced for 5/6 weeks time.

It was first reported around a week ago.

Yeh they dnt need to make weight, but guys like Stevenson and Lopez are professionals. They’re always in the gym, and don’t need to cut much weight for the current weight class.

Then lets go

Great fight on paper and for the purists. I don't think their styles mesh well though. Both are counter punchers, I could see a jab fest that looks more like a fencing match than a fight. Either way, it's the type of fight that boxing needs to make, I just want to see the best fight the best.

Lopez was selling the right during Bud’s post-fight too

Teofimo Lopez-Shakur Stevenson making strides - as a Turki Alalshikh-backed PBC event

Representatives connected to the talks to stage a Teofimo Lopez-Shakur Stevenson showdown in early 2026 are bullish on the progress for a bout being pointed for New York.

The meeting between Brooklyn’s two-division champion Lopez 22-1 (13 KOs) and Newark, New Jersey’s three-division champion Stevenson 24-0 (11 KOs) is currently being planned as a Premier Boxing Champions card that would receive the financial support of Saudi Arabia boxing financier Turki Alalshikh, two sources who’ve been briefed on the talks told Boxing Scene.

WBO 140lbs champion Lopez and WBC lightweight champion Stevenson, both 28, spoke of their mutual excitement for the bout while attending last week’s Terence Crawford-Canelo Alvarez fight in Las Vegas.

The bout would be for Lopez’s WBO 140lbs championship.

Lopez told Boxing Scene he expected more details on the negotiations to be forthcoming “soon.”

Stevenson would pursue a fourth division belt in meeting his former Top Rank stablemate. He publicly expressed interest in the fight in the aftermath of close friend Terence “Bud” Crawford’s historic triumph over undisputed168lbs champion Saul “Canelo” on Saturday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Lopez and Stevenson are now promotional free agents, with Lopez interested in fighting under the PBC banner.

PBC is pressing to stage a steady delivery of pay-per-view cards.

In October, powerful manager Al Haymon’s company will distribute a card headlined by the WBC 154lbs title defense of Sebastian Fundora versus veteran former unified welterweight champion Keith Thurman on Prime Video and PPV.COM.

Manny Pacquiao may return for a December PBC pay-per-view with WBA welterweight champion Rolly Romero considered the front-runner for that fight.

Opening 2026 with a pay-per-view headlined by two of America’s top champions at their peak would be a boon for PBC.

While Alalshikh is funding the new TKO boxing promotion that staged Crawford-Alvarez Saturday with plans for lower-level fights and some more major cards in 2026, the Saudi financier has previously backed cards featuring Stevenson and Lopez.

Stevenson is coming off an impressive July dismissal of former top-ranked contender William Zepeda in Queens, New York. The event came more than two months after Lopez successfully defended his WBO 140lbs belt by cruising to a unanimous-decision triumph over Arnold Barboza Jnr on May 2 in Times Square.

Given PBC’s usual placement of New York fights at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, that venue is seen as the favorite to land the bout. Stevenson’s camp may express a preference for Madison Square Garden to take the bout out of Lopez’s hometown.

gilgamesh wrote: ↑06 Sep 2025, 22:12 I just don't understand why it's 4 months from now and not 1 or 2. Fighters piss away so much of their valuable career time nowadays with inactivity.

From what I understand they need the time to get the PEDs out of their systems so they don't fail the tests.

My dough is on Shakur.

Shakur Stevenson on Teofimo Lopez fight: We’re similar, both of us want greatness

Shakur Stevenson wants to prove he’s better than Teofimo Lopez when the two meet in 2026.

Shakur Stevenson says that he will be fighting Teofimo Lopez in early 2026, which would see Stevenson looking to win a world title in a fourth division in a move up to 140 lbs.

“Teo’s my son, I’m gonna son him,” Stevenson said at OTX Boxing last night. “Nah, Teo’s a hell of a fighter. I can’t wait for the fight to happen, but I can’t wait to show everybody that there’s levels to this shit.”

Stevenson (24-0, 11 KO) said that he doesn’t really want to wait that long, but that “with the way that my hands work, I kind of feel as though the smarter route would be to make sure that my hands are 100 percent.”

Stevenson also has taken plenty of shots at Lopez (22-1, 13 KO), who holds the WBO super lightweight title, but also expressed respect for his rival.

“It’s a very interesting fight, because Teo is a guy who’s very similar to me,” he said. “He wants this. It’s not just pretend; there’s a lot of guys out here who are pretending. They want the clout, the fame, and all the stuff that comes with it, but they don’t want greatness, and I think Teo’s one of them guys that also wants greatness.”

The fight is projected for January or February of next year. Stevenson, 28, last fought in July, dominating William Zepeda to retain the WBC lightweight title. Lopez, 28, had the best showing on the ill-fated Times Square card in May, beating Arnold Barboza Jr to retain his title.