Teofimo Lopez believes that Shakur Stevenson is “overrated,” being amped up by fans who think he’s ‘got the goods.” Lopez (22-1, 13 KOs) states that the former three-division world champion Stevenson has been on the decline.
Fans Agree Stevenson Not the Same Fighter
That view by Teofimo mirrors what many boxing fans have been saying about the Newark, New Jersey native Shakur (24-0, 11 KOs). He’s not looked like the same fighter since he moved up to the 135-lb division on April 8, 2023, against Shuichiro Yoshino.
Teofimo Lopez Says Shakur Stevenson Overrated
Stevenson seems to have lost something from his game since leaving the super featherweight division. Whether it was the move up in weight or the punishment he took in his closer-than-scored 12-round unanimous decision win against Robson Conceicao in his farewell to the 130-lb division fight on September 23, 2022, is unclear. Something has changed with Shakur.
“The most overrated boxer right now? I’ll say it. I think Shakur Stevenson, whom I’m going to be facing. I think he’s overrated. He’s been decreasing on his style, but people amp it up like he’s really got the goods,” said Teofimo Lopez to Stories Untold about his possible fight against Shakur Stevenson in the first quarter of 2026.
What Happens if Stevenson Gets Knocked Out Cold?
If Teo blows Shakur out of the water in January 2026, his popularity is going to plummet like the 1929 stock market crash. A bad knockout loss for Stevenson would put the spotlight on him, showing that he was never what naive fans had thought, especially after 2022.
It’s going to be interesting to see if Turki Alalshikh washes his hands with Shakur Stevenson, leaving him off future Riyadh Season cards after the defeat. Will Turki prop Shakur up by allowing him to fight Josh Padley-type fighters, or will he cut his losses, treating him like a leper?
If Turki does give Shakur one more chance, he needs to take the tough love approach by offering him a take-it-or-leave-it deal: fight Andy Cruz or nothing. If he refuses, goodbye Riyadh Season forever. That’s what I would do if I were Turki. I’d love to be a fly on the wall when Turki has that conversation.
Stevenson’s Career Held Together With Tape?
Stevenson’s past promoters, Top Rank and Matchroom Boxing, have done an admirable job of hiding the decline by matching him with ultra-care, essentially keeping him patched together with duct tape, the beatable opposition they’ve fed him. We’ve seen that with Shakur matched against these fighters since 2023:
- Josh Padley
- Shuichiro Yoshino
- Arten Harutyunyan
- Edwin De Los Santos
- William Zepeda
It’s what clever promoters do when they’re on the decline. They can keep them going with their match-making, sometimes for years, to ensure the fighter’s marketability doesn’t drop off. Canelo Alvarez is an excellent example of that. You have a fighter who was falling apart years ago, but has been propped up through matchmaking.
“I’m looking forward to us finally facing in that squared circle, and I’m really going to show the world,” said Teofimo.
Last Updated on 09/27/2025
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